Wisconsin Technical College Newshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com
News about Wisconsin's Technical Colleges: where we help students find their passion and fulfill their potential while contributing to the health of Wisconsin's economy.Sun, 01 Feb 2015 04:02:52 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/683912db1a98e7746c7c8f6938acffd3?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngWisconsin Technical College Newshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com
blog has movedhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/blog-has-moved/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/blog-has-moved/#commentsMon, 11 Aug 2014 17:34:31 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=4120]]>You can find the Making Futures blog at http://www.wistechcolleges.org/your-education/making-futures-blog.
Thanks for following!Filed under: technical college]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/11/blog-has-moved/feed/0wistechcollegesWisconsin Technical College News has movedhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/wisconsin-technical-college-news-has-moved/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/wisconsin-technical-college-news-has-moved/#commentsFri, 01 Aug 2014 13:58:59 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10732]]>Please visit us at http://www.wistechcolleges.org/wisconsins-colleges/tech-college-news. If you subscribe to this news blog, please reset your RSS to this location. Thanks for following Wisconsin Technical College News.Filed under: technical college]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/08/01/wisconsin-technical-college-news-has-moved/feed/0wistechcollegesLawmakers examine technical college reliance on property taxeshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/lawmakers-examine-technical-college-reliance-on-property-taxes/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/lawmakers-examine-technical-college-reliance-on-property-taxes/#commentsMon, 28 Jul 2014 15:18:46 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10729From spooneradvocate.com: "Lawmakers look to lessen technical colleges' reliance on property taxes" -- Concerns about property taxes have lawmakers looking at other ways to fund the state's 16 technical schools. They're also considering changes that could reduce local control of technical schools. [...]]]>From spooneradvocate.com: “Lawmakers look to lessen technical colleges’ reliance on property taxes” – by Shemane Mills, WPR -Concerns about property taxes have lawmakers looking at other ways to fund the state’s 16 technical schools. They’re also considering changes that could reduce local control of technical schools.

Historically, the property tax has been the largest source of revenue for the Wisconsin Technical College System, a sore point for some taxpayers and the Wisconsin Realtors Association. In the last budget, the state put $406 million towards technical schools in an effort to shift some of the system’s funding away from property taxes.

The WRA’s Joe Murray supports the state increasing its share of funding to 45 percent, but urged lawmakers to consider funding technical schools in the future without any property taxes.

“From our experience, after watching this debate over the last 30-35 years, the only way you ultimately start and keep property taxes going in a certain direction is to take stuff off the property tax,” said Murray.

That leaves the question of where money for technical schools would come from, according to Josh Dukelow from the Fox Cities Chamber of Commerce.

“The same people who pay property taxes to support technical education pay municipal taxes to support law enforcement, pay school taxes to fund primary education, pay income taxes to fund state services, and pay sales tax when they shop or dine,” said Dukelow. “To maintain our premier educational resources in Wisconsin, we will have to pay one way or another.”

Dukelow also expressed concern about possible changes in governance of technical schools, saying a more centralized approach wouldn’t be as quick to meet the needs of local business. He said each area of the state has different workforce needs that may not be suited for state control.

Filed under: State Budget, technical college, WTCS Tagged: technical college funding, Wisconsin property taxes, Wisconsin Technical College System]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/lawmakers-examine-technical-college-reliance-on-property-taxes/feed/0wistechcollegesOpinion: Good investment at Blackhawk Techhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/opinion-good-investment-at-blackhawk-tech/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/opinion-good-investment-at-blackhawk-tech/#commentsMon, 28 Jul 2014 14:54:54 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10726From beloitdailynews.com: "Good investment at Blackhawk Tech" --
IF YOU OR SOMEONE you know became a parent any time recently, chances are the job the child one day will hold hasn’t even been invented yet. [...]]]>From beloitdailynews.com: “Good investment at Blackhawk Tech” — IF YOU OR SOMEONE you know became a parent any time recently, chances are the job the child one day will hold hasn’t even been invented yet.

And don’t think that child will grow up, get that job and spend a lifetime performing the same work.

Most people will hold many different jobs — really different jobs — in the course of a life’s work.

Daunting.

About now parents will be wondering how the child is supposed to prepare for a career culture so thoroughly fluid and unknown.

THE KEY INGREDIENT is education. For many professional positions that means a four-year university degree, or even more. Graduate degrees will proliferate as young men and women try to gain an edge in the job market.

For many others a two-year technical and career education can be the ticket, either for direct entry into the workplace or in preparation for more specialized training.

Just as importantly, technical and career education will be the bridge for those non-traditional students who find themselves left behind as the culture of work becomes more complicated and demanding. It happens every week. Advances in technology coupled with the global realities described in author Thomas Friedman’s book “The World is Flat” lead to massive disruptions in traditional industries.

Staying current and staying relevant in the work environment requires flexibility and constant learning.

WHICH BRINGS US to our point: On Aug. 12 voters in Rock and Green counties will be asked to approve Blackhawk Technical College exceeding its levy limits by $4 million to pay for operational needs.

The answer should be a strong, positive yes.

First of all, it’s a bargain. BTC’s mill rate is lower than it used to be and will remain so if the referendum is approved. It sounds too good to be true, but your BTC property taxes will remain low.

Moreover, the referendum seeks just $4 million, a relative pittance in the overall scheme of governance. The federal government spends trillions — and squanders much of it. State government spends billions — and squanders a fair amount. Beloit city government and the School District of Beloit together spend hundreds of millions, better managed closer to home. The school district is spending $70 million alone on rebuilding district facilities.

In a sense, $4 million is lint in the pocket for government big spenders.

WHAT THAT $4 MILLION buys really counts. It pays for more direct course offerings for in-demand jobs. It pays for the flexibility to respond quickly to changing industry needs. It pays for adapting to the needs of non-traditional students, by increasing evening and weekend class sections. It pays for the people to teach those classes. It pays for support staff for faculty. It pays for people to pursue revenue-generating grants. And it’s intended to help pay for a long-term water system need to protect taxpayers’ investments at the college.

Most of all it pays for critical needs as the region moves forward into an uncertain and unknowable future. Change is occurring at a pace never seen before on this planet, and the future belongs to those most capable of adapting — repeatedly — to that cycle. The communities have been working hard to be ready in a changing world, with considerable success — most recently marked by the announcement that NorthStar Radioisotopes is beginning construction of its high-tech $150 million plant on Beloit’s East Side. These and other jobs to come will require high-level skills. There’s no alternative to staying state-of-the-art at the region’s career and technical college.

BTC’s $4 million ask is needed and it’s reasonable. The Beloit Daily News endorses a “yes” vote on Aug. 12. Help our workers stay at the forefront.

Filed under: BTC, technical college Tagged: Blackhawk Technical College, tech college referenda]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/opinion-good-investment-at-blackhawk-tech/feed/0wistechcollegesCVTC grad overcomes obstacles to graduatehttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/cvtc-grad-overcomes-obstacles-to-graduate/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/28/cvtc-grad-overcomes-obstacles-to-graduate/#commentsMon, 28 Jul 2014 14:48:22 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10723From chippewa.com: "Obstacles don't stop CVTC grad" -- Scott Steenerson still isn’t sure he should have graduated from high school. Struggles in reading and math due to learning disabilities resulted in poor grades. But that was back in 1997. [...]]]>From chippewa.com: “Obstacles don’t stop CVTC grad” — Scott Steenerson still isn’t sure he should have graduated from high school. Struggles in reading and math due to learning disabilities resulted in poor grades. But that was back in 1997. On Thursday, July 24, he graduated from Chippewa Valley Technical College (CVTC) as a top student in the Manufacturing Engineering Technologist program, a member of the College’s honor society, and the student speaker for the commencement ceremony.

Steenerson was one of 129 graduates to receive degrees and diplomas in 26 different programs in CVTC’s summer graduating class. Welding and Radiography programs had the most graduates, with 17 each, followed by Diagnostic Medical Sonography with 16.

Last spring, Steenerson received both the achievement and leadership awards among all Manufacturing Engineering Technologist students. He was the only one scheduled for summer graduation.

It’s not as if Steenerson’s learning disabilities magically disappeared since his days at Elk River, Minn. High School, but he learned to deal with them and got the help he needed at CVTC.

“In high school, they didn’t have a lot of programs that helped with it,” Steenerson said. “There were a handful of classes I did pretty well in, but I think that had a lot to do with good teachers.”

Steenerson ended up settling in Hammond and holding a well-paying job at Andersen Windows. “I had a couple of people at Andersen who took me under their wings, and I started to catch on to things better,” he said. “That gave me the opportunity to work with the manufacturing engineers.”

When he became a victim in large layoff, two weeks after his second child was born, Steenerson knew he’d have to do better in the future to support a family of four. Eligibility for a federal program for displaced workers allowed him to enroll at CVTC. He started off scared.

“Considering my grades in high school, I was really concerned about whether I could pull off college-level classes,” Steenerson said. He had two tough ones right away in chemistry and math. “I was extremely nervous. Looking at the other students, half of them seemed young enough to be my kids.”

But Steenerson says he had two great teachers, Ron Keyes in chemistry and Dave Vollmer in math, who knew about his learning disabilities and gave him the extra help he needed. Steenerson also got help from the CVTC’s Academic Services Center. Success followed.

“When I got my final grades, I shocked myself, particularly in my math class, where I got an A when I had struggled so much in high school.”

More success followed. On Vollmer’s recommendation, Steenerson became a math tutor. When he started his program courses in manufacturing, Instructor Tom Vanderloop drew him into the student chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, where he rose to a leadership position. Twice he represented CVTC with other team members at international competitions and was the team leader in one.

His exposure to lean manufacturing at Andersen Windows made him a valuable student. Instructor Hans Mikelson would bring him in to help with workshops on the subject.

Steenerson explained that, knowing his limitations, he was never hesitant to ask for help. When he got it, he shared it. “I’d grab some of the other students and explain it to them and we’d work out problems together.” Steenerson helped in efforts to extend tutoring programs to CVTC’s Gateway campus.

In addressing his fellow graduates, Steenerson said he feels a sense of sadness leaving CVTC because it has made such a difference in his life. “I’ve loved every one of the instructors I’ve had at CVTC,” he said.

Steenerson is already getting some job offers, but he’s hoping to lands something close to his current home and at a company where he can work to improve manufacturing procedures.

Like Steenerson, faculty speaker Jon Leenhouts had high praise for the teachers he learned from in his life. “Over time, I’ve remained interested in my own career, and have actively kindled new opportunities and have been willing to try new things – because of the type of teachers I’ve been fortunate to have had,” said Leenhouts, an award-winning trainer and consultant with CVTC’s Business & Industry team.

Commencement speaker Kathy Otto, medical assembly operations manager at Phillips Medisize, spoke of the skills gap with a different perspective. She told of a recent meeting with CVTC and business community leaders to identify training needs in the community.

“But in the end, one man stood up and summed up the gap for the entire business group: ‘We just want people that care – care!’ Every business leader in the room immediately agreed,” Otto said.

Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch made the announcement Wednesday as part of a tour to announce the grants at each of the state’s 16 technical colleges.

Earlier this year, Walker signed legislation under Blueprint for Prosperity that added $35.4 million to the Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training program. The expansion targeted three areas, including grants to reduce wait lists at Wisconsin technical colleges, grants for collaborative projects among high schools, technical colleges, and employers to train high school students in industry-recognized certifications, and grants that enhance employment opportunities for workers with disabilities.

The Basic Food Production Boot Camp will provide four sections of the basic food production certificate to a total of 40 students. The boot camp will provide necessary skills to obtain an entry level food manufacturing position.

The grant will also provide two sections of the mid-level food production certificate to a total of 24 students consisting of incumbent workers and basic food production completers. Students gain skills in lean manufacturing and six sigma and are qualified to secure a job as a line leader or cell leader.

The grant will provide two sections of the nursing assistant course to a total of 20 students at partner health care facilities. Upon passing, students are eligible to sit for the Wisconsin Nurse Aid Registry and become certified nursing assistants.

Four sections of the Basic Emergency Medical Training (EMT) will become available to a total of 60 students at partnering fire stations in Lakeshore communities.

For general manufacturing, four sections of basic, entry level manufacturing courses will be available using the Manufacturing Skills Standard Council (MSSC) curriculum in a boot camp format to a total of 48 students. Students gain entry level skills for the start of a career in manufacturing as a part of this program.

For Industrial Technician Automation, the grants will provide two sections of integrated manufacturing systems instruction to a total of 24 students and targets incumbent workers.

The grant will also provide 10 information technology certification workshops to incumbent workers and IT students to serve a total of 100 students. Curriculum modifications will include faculty training to infuse or update program outcomes to include Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL), Microsoft specialist, and A+ certifications.

Three industrial boot camps will target incumbent workers to include basic tools, measurement, math, print reading and maintenance to a total of 36 students. Students will obtain employment as entry level machine operators and basic maintenance and up to eight of the credits apply toward the Industrial Technician Technical Diploma.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch was on hand at WCTC’s Industrial building Wednesday to present the technical college with a $1.7 million award, which will be used to help train students for high-demand positions.

“There is a skills gap in Wisconsin and WCTC seeks every day to build a bridge over that skills gap – today you have some construction money,” Kleefisch said. “It is through investments like these that Wisconsin will address the skills gap today and in the years to come.”

The Fast Forward program is part of the Blueprint for Prosperity initiative which Gov. Scott Walker signed into law last year. In total, $35.4 million will be allocated by Fast Forward into worker training programs focusing on reducing wait lists, collaborative projects between high schools and colleges, and enhancing employment opportunities for disabled workers.

“These grant dollars will significantly impact the journey of our students pursuing high-demand programs … and in turn benefit our local economy,” WCTC Interim President Kaylen Betzig said. “We are pleased and honored that the governor recognizes WCTC’s work as an important and valuable investment.”

The grant will be administered by the Department of Workforce Development and will go toward training as many as 168 students in the fields of welding, computer numerical control (CNC), transportation and early childhood education.

Betzig said that the funds will not only permit more students to enter these high-demand programs, but will also go toward hiring more professors and purchasing more supplies and equipment for student use.

“It is huge,” she said. “We have lots of programs – yes we can shift money – but other programs have needs too. It takes resources in order to do this and it takes resources in order to expand and offer more sections so we can get more people into the funnel.”

The college is looking for a banking branch that provides personal banking services, including online banking, and also links to campus ID cards, which act like debit cards.

WCTC would locate the branch in a 14-by-7-foot space inside “The Hub,” its staff and student dining area at 800 Main Street in Pewaukee.

According to a request for proposals, WCTC currently has more than 27,000 students that come to the Pewaukee campus each year. It has approximately 1,250 employees.

Filed under: student services, technical college, WCTC Tagged: campus banking, student services, Waukesha County Technical College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/wctc-looking-into-on-campus-banking-branch/feed/0wistechcollegesState grant will expand popular programs at Gateway Techhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/state-grant-will-expand-popular-programs-at-gateway-tech/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/25/state-grant-will-expand-popular-programs-at-gateway-tech/#commentsFri, 25 Jul 2014 14:08:29 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10708From journaltimes.com: "State money expands popular Gateway programs" -- Some of Gateway Technical College’s most in-demand programs will be expanded after the state allocated nearly $1.9 million in worker-training money to the college. [...]]]>From journaltimes.com: “State money expands popular Gateway programs” – By Mark Schaaf – STURTEVANT — Some of Gateway Technical College’s most in-demand programs will be expanded after the state allocated nearly $1.9 million in worker-training money to the college.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch on Wednesday visited the SC Johnson iMet Center, 2320 Renaissance Blvd., to announce the grant, which officials said will trim waiting lists and allow Gateway to serve an additional 756 students over the next two years.

Beginning in the fall semester, Gateway will expand 14 popular programs, such as its CNC bootcamps, welding and business management offerings.

Gateway also will offer additional law enforcement summer classes and expand its summer nursing classes to meet demand.

Gateway has waiting lists for several courses because it can’t create enough sections or hire enough teachers to meet the demand, Gateway President Bryan Albrecht said. The grant “allows people to have greater access to education and get them back into the workforce,” he said.

The money originated from a $911 million state surplus. Gov. Scott Walker and the state Legislature geared most of the surplus toward tax cuts, but about $35 million went into a worker-training program called Wisconsin Fast Forward.

Kleefisch said the state has added more than 100,000 jobs over the past four years, but many people are still looking for work at the same time employers face challenges finding skilled workers.

“We need to bridge that skills gap so the folks who are seeking jobs have the skills to take the (jobs) that are already open,” Kleefisch said.

State Sen. John Lehman, who along with other local legislators attended Wednesday’s announcement, said Democrats also favored money for worker training. The grants are a “move in the right direction” in terms of Walker’s job policies, he said.

“This kind of grant actually translates into helping individuals, translates into helping the Racine-Kenosha-Walworth county” region that Gateway serves, said Lehman, D-Racine, who is running for lieutenant governor.

Kleefisch has held similar events at technical colleges around the state this week after Walker announced $28 million in worker-training grants. The Department of Workforce Development, which will administer the grants, will add capacity to 100 programs at all 16 Wisconsin technical colleges and accommodate up to 4,908 additional students, according to a news release.

The Department of Workforce Development awarded the campus with a $884,362 grant under the Wisconsin Fast Forward Blueprint for Prosperity initiative.

The grant will fund two new sections of WITC’s high-demand welding program at both the New Richmond and Rice Lake campuses.

DWD’s Assistant Deputy Secretary David Anderson said the job market is looking up in Wisconsin, but not all workers have the right skills.

“One of the things we hear from employers though is that there is a little bit of a skills gap that is holding them back in finding skilled workers for a lot of the jobs that are available,” said Anderson.

Last week, Governor Scott Walker announced all 16 technical schools in Wisconsin will get more than $28 million in state dollars to fund programs in high demand.

Jared Huss, Fox Valley Technical College Aeronautics Pilot Training Lead Instructor, said a shortage of pilots will mean fewer planes in the air and fewer seats for passengers – pushing up the cost of air travel.

“Everything’s kind of pointing to that perfect storm of that happening,” Huss said.

In response to the shortage, colleges are making changes to get more pilots into the work force faster. In Oshkosh, FVTC and the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh established a partnership to help meet the demand for pilots.

Huss said there are a number of reasons for the shortage, including mandatory retirements and duty time regulation changes in the wake of Continental Flight 3407s crash into a house near Buffalo, N.Y. in 2009 that killed 50.

Pilots must now have more uninterrupted rest between flights and are required to have an ATP license, or Airline Transport Pilot license, which mandates 1,500 flight hours as a pilot. Regional airlines could previously hire pilots with 250 hours, but now legally cannot, Huss said.

The 1,500-hour qualification poses a problem for pilot-training graduates, who in general come out of aeronautics programs with 250-300 flight hours.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) forecasts that 18,000 pilots from major airlines in the United States will reach mandatory retirement age by 2022. The GAO also forecasts that regional airlines will need about 4,500 pilots per year for the next decade to fill the void.

However, studies show the flight-training industry can only support between 2,500-3,000 pilots per year.

To help fill that void, graduates from two-year schools with programs that are approved by the Federal Aviation Administration can qualify for a restricted ATP at 1,250 hours instead.

FVTC is applying for that certification. Students will have the option to graduate with a technical diploma in two years, and can return for a third year to earn their associate’s degree and flight instructor certificate. The changes will give FVTC the ability to double its capacity, graduating an average of 16 pilots per year.

“I realize that when there’s a demand for 4,500 pilots a year that’s…a drop in the bucket, but we’re doing what we can to stretch that and grow our capacity,” Huss said. “And if all the other flight training programs out there can do something similar to scale, then hopefully we can ramp it up for the need.”

The typical path of graduates is to go on to be a flight instructor and build the hours they need, then move up to a regional airline, continuing to build hours and work their way up to a major airline.

“We send graduates all over, anywhere from those commercial type of jobs, like [pilots for] the skydiver, crop dusting, aerial photography, all the way up to corporate pilot and airline pilot as well,” Huss said.

In the long run, a new collaboration with UWO could be recognized for a restricted ATP at 1,000 hours as well.

The partnership between the schools allows FVTC graduates to earn a Bachelor of Applied Studies degree with an emphasis in aviation management from UWO online, and they can do it while they’re working. It allows them to get in the work force sooner and build more flight time.

Take Kodye Shier, who graduated from FVTC in 2011 and went on to be a paid flight instructor intern at FVTC for two years. He built up about 1,000 hours of flight experience, and is now a corporate pilot for Menards based in Eau Claire.

Originally from Rice Lake, the 24-year-old now has 1,600 flight hours under his wings and flies Menards staff all over the Midwest on a daily basis.

He said taking the route he did has put him ahead – on average he has about 250 more flight hours than other pilots he sees with the same level of experience.

Shier is working part-time toward his bachelor’s degree through the online program with UWO. He said the degree will help him when looking for jobs.

“I think with aviation timing is everything,” Shier said. “And I feel like where I’m at right now is a very comfortable spot as far as timing.”

Huss said not all FVTC graduates want to be airline pilots – actually, he sees many going the corporate route like Shier did for stability.

“We just want to have our program and partnership with UW-Oshkosh to be as best set up as possible so that if our graduates want to go that route, that they’re set up and ready to go as best as they can.”

Filed under: aviation, careers, FVTC, jobs, partnership, responsiveness to employers, technical college Tagged: Aeronautics pilot training, airline pilot shortage, aviation training, Fox Valley Technical College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/fvtc-uw-oshkosh-hope-to-meet-need-for-more-pilots/feed/0wistechcollegesIT job growth projected to rise; Nicolet College holds info sessionshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/it-job-growth-projected-to-rise-nicolet-college-holds-info-sessions/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/it-job-growth-projected-to-rise-nicolet-college-holds-info-sessions/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 15:09:41 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10700From rivernewsonline.com: "IT job growth projected to rise; Nicolet College to hold career training info sessions" -- With solid job growth projected for information technology in the Northwoods and across the state in coming years, Nicolet College is holding a series of information sessions for people interested in training for a career in this field. [...]]]>From rivernewsonline.com: “IT job growth projected to rise; Nicolet College to hold career training info sessions” — With solid job growth projected for information technology in the Northwoods and across the state in coming years, Nicolet College is holding a series of information sessions for people interested in training for a career in this field.

In the Northwoods, computer user support specialist positions are expected to grow 6.5 percent over the next three years. Across the state, that position is ranked 27th in the Top 50 high demand jobs over the next five years.

Nicolet offers a variety of IT classes that provide flexible scheduling. These include more evening and online options and classes that require students to come to campus only twice a month. Student can also complete any one of several IT credentials in less than a year.

Information sessions are scheduled for:

• Monday, July 28, 3 to 6 p.m., just north of Tomahawk in the Bradley Town Hall, 1518 W. Mohawk Dr.

• Tuesday, July 29, 3 to 6 p.m., Tamarack Center 102, Nicolet College Campus, one mile south of Rhinelander just off of Hwy. G.

Interested individuals can stop by anytime during a session to learn about Nicolet’s many IT training options, what it’s like to work in the field, financial aid and scholarship opportunities, and the admissions process.

Michael Spafford graduated from Nicolet’s IT program in May and currently works in the IT department at Drs. Foster & Smith in Rhinelander.

“When I graduated I had many different employment opportunities,” Spafford said. “My instructors at Nicolet provided me with all of the help and resources I needed to be successful.”

In all, Nicolet offers seven college credentials in IT, ranging from short-term training certificates to two-year associate degrees. The college also has many credit transfer agreements with four-year colleges and universities that create a pathway for students to earn a bachelor’s degree.

For more information, visit nicoletcollege.edu and click on the Careers in Information Technology graphic at the top of the page or call the Welcome Center at (715) 365-4493, 1-800-544-3039, ext. 4493: TDD 711 or 1-800-947-3529.

Filed under: careers, information technology, jobs, Nicolet College Tagged: hot jobs, IT careers, IT training, Nicolet College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/it-job-growth-projected-to-rise-nicolet-college-holds-info-sessions/feed/0wistechcollegesDWD awards grants to Gateway and Waukesha County Technical Collegeshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/dwd-awards-grants-to-gateway-and-waukesha-county-technical-colleges/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/dwd-awards-grants-to-gateway-and-waukesha-county-technical-colleges/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 15:03:11 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10697From biztimes.com: "DWD awards grants to Gateway and Waukesha County Technical College" -- Gateway Technical College has received nearly $1.9 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant funding, while Waukesha County Technical College has been allocated close to $1.7 million, Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development announced today. [...]]]>From biztimes.com: “DWD awards grants to Gateway and Waukesha County Technical Colleges” – Gateway Technical College has received nearly $1.9 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant funding, while Waukesha County Technical College has been allocated close to $1.7 million, Wisconsin’s Department of Workforce Development announced today.

The two technical colleges were awarded portions of a grant initiative totaling more than $28 million that Gov. Scott Walker announced last week.

According to Walker’s announcement, Wisconsin is distributing more than $28 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants to the Wisconsin Technical College System to train more than 4,900 workers.

That system encompasses 16 schools, including Gateway Technical College in Kenosha and Waukesha County Technical College in Pewaukee.

At Gateway Technical College, grant dollars will support the training of a maximum 756 workers in several “high-demand areas,” the DWD said. Those areas touch disciplines in manufacturing, business management, apprenticeship, education, health care and more.

At Waukesha County Technical College, up to 168 workers will benefit from grant dollars. Workers will be trained for careers in manufacturing, education and human services, and applied science fields.

Transportation, distribution and logistics training will also be covered under the grants.

“These grant dollars will significantly impact the journey of our students pursuing high-demand programs such as welding, computer numerical control (CNC), early childhood education and transportation, and in turn benefit our local economy,” said Kaylen Betzig, interim president of Waukesha County Technical College. “We are pleased and honored that the governor recognizes WCTC’s work as an important and valuable investment.”

FVTC president Susan May said the money will allow the college to train up to 856 workers with the technical skills needed in today’s regional economy. FVTC will train additional truck drivers, personal care workers, production welders, automation technology workers, operations specialists and phlebotomists.

“Fox Valley Technical College and the Wisconsin Technical College System are incredibly passionate about building skills for careers that are in demand, both locally and around the state,” May said in a statement. “Economic development needs partnerships that are innovative and strategically aligned with the intricacies of a new economy. ”

Lt. Governor Rebecca Kleefisch, who was at FVTC’s Grand Chute campus Wednesday to award the grant, said the money will help address the skills gap in Wisconsin.

“The investments we are making in Fox Valley Technical College under Gov. Walker’s leadership will enhance opportunities for working families in the Fox Valley region and help employers find the workers they need,” Kleefisch said in a statement.

The money comes from Walker’s Blueprint for Prosperity initiative, which provided more than $35 million to expand the Department of Workforce Development-operated Wisconsin Fast Forward program. The initiative focuses on reducing the waiting lists at state technical colleges for high-demand fields, increasing opportunities for high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials and enhancing job opportunities for workers with disabilities.

MPTC received a $1,217,997 grant Wednesday under the Wisconsin Fast Forward: Blueprint for Prosperity Initiative to train students to fill what employers say is a growing job gap.

Lt. Gov. Kleefisch and Department of Workforce Development Secretary Reggie Newson made a stop at the Fond du Lac MPTC campus Wednesday to announce the local portion of the grant.

“This is an incredible, bipartisan effort,” Kleefisch said. “At any given time there are between 45,000 and 70,000 open jobs in the state because they need more skilled workers.”

State Sen. Rick Gudex, R-Fond du Lac, said he helped pass the legislation and was in attendance along with State Sen. Glenn Grothman, R-Campbellsport, and County Executive Allen Buechel.

“It’s good to see this program working and I knew that it would work,” Gudex said, stating he saw the need through his years working in the field of economic development.

Technical colleges submitted initial lists of programs for grant consideration earlier this year.There is a waiting list to get into several programs at MPTC, said Joann Hall, Dean of Economic Workforce Development. The grant will funnel money into high-demand areas such as mechatronics, medical coding, tool and die apprenticeships, and CNC training offered from a mobile unit to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections.

It will also provide short-term training for industrial maintenance, robotic welding, automation and general production assembly.

“These are the fields employers are telling us they can’t find people for,” Hall said.

The grant will be used to provide more faculty, facilities, equipment, supplies and curriculum development, she said.

“We know the integral role Moraine Park Technical College and all of Wisconsin’s technical colleges play in keeping Wisconsin’s economy strong,” said MPTC President Sheila Ruhland. “Our training gets workers into the workforce quickly and keeps them in the workforce, ensuring we will continue to keep moving Wisconsin forward.”

Representatives from grant partners Aurora Heath Care and Mercury Marine were also in attendance as the group toured MPTC’s integrated manufacturing center. Both Fond du Lac businesses helped the college frame some of the programs and wrote letters of support to help obtain funding.

The legislation provided more than $35 million in additional funding for all 16 technical colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System to help train nearly 5,000 people.

The awards are part of Gov. Walker’s Blueprint for Prosperity initiative to move Wisconsin’s working families along a path toward greater prosperity and independence, according to a news release from Kleefisch’s office.

“The investment we are making in Moraine Park Technical College under Gov. Walker’s leadership will enhance opportunities for working families in the Fond du Lac region and help employers find the workers they need,” Kleefisch said.

The DWD will administer the grants, which will add capacity to 100 programs in key industry sectors such as manufacturing, health care, transportation, construction and architecture, and education.

“With this announcement, the State of Wisconsin is giving workers the chance to increase their skills and move into a new job or a better job,” Newson said.

Collaborative projects between high schools, technical colleges, businesses, and other partners to increase opportunities for high school students to earn industry-recognized credentials.

Enhancing the employment opportunities of workers with disabilities.

Walker signed 2013 Act 139 into law in March as part of the initiative following strong bipartisan support of the State Legislature. In May, DWD awarded more than $2.1 million in grants to train high school students in school-to-work programs and is currently seeking grant applications with up to $1 million available to train workers with disabilities.

Funds cannot be used for financial aid, tuition or capital improvements.

Filed under: access, machine tool, manufacturing, MPTC, Wisconsin Fast Forward, worker training grants Tagged: CNC training, Fast Forward grants, mechatronics, medical coding, robotic welding, tool and die training, workforce development]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/moraine-park-gets-1-2-million-state-grant/feed/0wistechcollegesKids get police, fire and EMS training at NTChttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/kids-get-police-fire-and-ems-training-at-ntc/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/24/kids-get-police-fire-and-ems-training-at-ntc/#commentsThu, 24 Jul 2014 14:30:14 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10690From wsaw.com: "What do you want to be when you grow up?" -- It's the big question we all face when we're young, "what do you want to be when you grow up?" Common answers are firefighter or police officer and middle and high school students from the Wausau Boys and Girls Club got the chance to live out that dream on Wednesday. [...]]]>From wsau.com: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” — It’s the big question we all face when we’re young, “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Common answers are firefighter or police officer and middle and high school students from the Wausau Boys and Girls Club got the chance to live out that dream on Wednesday.

Kids got to try on a couple different hats for size at the Northcentral Technical College Safety Center of Excellence in Merrill as they went through the training exercises of police, fire, and EMS professionals.

“It’s really fun and it teaches us to be on our feet and be very active,” Tyler Jones, 14 said.

“They’re kind of at that point of ‘what should I do for my career when I get a little bit older?’ And, ‘where should I go to college?’ And things like that are starting to play into their minds, so this gives them an opportunity to see maybe this might be the avenue that they might want to venture into,” said the college’s Public Safety Executive Director Bert Nitzke.

Fourteen-year-old Asia Stalsberg said she’s now thinking of going into the behind the scenes work of public safety.

The hands-on experiences is, of course a great opportunity for all the kids involved, but it’s especially so for the young women.

“This has been a male-dominated field for a long time and seeing more girls come here today and seeing them apply at the fire departments is great because we do need that diversity and it’s just great seeing them out here having fun,” said SAFER Firefighter and EMT Emily Dobeck. “Sometimes it can be very intimidating seeing is how most of the tasks that we perform require strength, but sometimes it comes in handy when you’re smaller.”

Experiences like the one the Boys and Girls Club and NTC provided for the kids may inspire more women to join the field.

If you would like to try some of the college’s hands-on training classes or bring your group to some, you can visit their website here: http://www.ntc.edu/.

Lieutenant Governor Rebecca Kleefisch stopped by Madison College on Tuesday to announce the school be will receiving $5 million as part of the Wisconsin Fast Forward: Blueprint for Prosperity Initiative.

The money will be used to get more students into programs and courses in high-demand fields.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch says, “In Wisconsin today there are about 67,000 open jobs, yet we still have folks that are unemployed, there’s a skills mismatch. We need to make sure the folks that are seeking employment have the skills that job creators who are offering that employment will require in order to hire someone.”

Madison College says the $5 million grant will allow them to train an additional 934 students.

Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch and the state’s top jobs official toured Western’s new South Side welding facility to mark the occasion, part of a two-week tour of Wisconsin by lawmakers as they publicize more than $28 million in tech college grants.

The Weaver Building at 2860 S. 21st Place was still under construction as Kleefisch toured the former Trane facility with Western President Lee Rasch and Reggie Newson, secretary of the state’s Department of Workforce Development. Weaver will temporarily house Western’s welding classes when it opens this fall, while workers begin construction on a $32.6 million addition to the campus technology building.

Funding from the Wisconsin Fast Forward Grant program should allow Western to take 192 students off wait lists and teach them skills they need to find jobs with state and regional employers, Kleefisch said.

”Technical colleges help us triage the skills gap issue we have in Wisconsin,” Kleefisch said. “Our skills gap issue is very, very pressing.”

Filed under: skilled workers, technical college, Western, worker training grants Tagged: Western Technical College, workforce training grants]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/western-technical-college-to-receive-1-6-million-workforce-grant/feed/0wistechcollegesNicolet College gets $1.9 million state granthttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/nicolet-college-gets-1-9-million-state-grant/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/23/nicolet-college-gets-1-9-million-state-grant/#commentsWed, 23 Jul 2014 14:31:37 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10677From waow.com: "Rhinelander college gets $1.9 million state grant" -- Nicolet Area Technical College was awarded $1.9 million in state grants Tuesday to train up to 303 students for in-demand jobs, such as welding and nursing assistants. [...]]]>From waow.com: “Rhinelander college gets $1.9 million state grant” –Nicolet Area Technical College was awarded $1.9 million in state grants Tuesday to train up to 303 students for in-demand jobs, such as welding and nursing assistants.

The money comes from about $35 million earmarked to help Wisconsin technical colleges train nearly 5,000 workers for jobs that employers need filled, Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleefisch said during a stop announcing the grant.

Last week, Northcentral Technical College in Wausau received $2.3 million from the program Gov. Scott Walker calls his “Blueprint for Prosperity” to train another 160 in-demand workers, including for diesel transportation jobs.

Here’s a breakdown of the additional students the money will help at Nicolet Area Technical College: 16 in electromechanical technology, 92 in welding, 30 in computer support specialties, 50 in business management and marketing, 80 in nursing and 35 in early childhood education.

“The college has a long history of working in close partnership with area businesses to determine training needs,” Interim President Kenneth Urban said in a statement. “These grants will directly benefit our students by giving them the exact skills they need to be successful, while businesses in the region will gain a skilled workforce to drive economic development.”

Northeast Wisconsin Educational Resource Alliance, a consortium of New North schools, announced plans last year to create a regional bachelor’s degree program in engineering technology. The program allows students to enter at any of the NEW ERA schools and then finish up the program at University of Wisconsin campuses in Green Bay and Oshkosh. The degree program is the first of its kind in Wisconsin and fills an important void for employers.

“These are important skills manufacturers need to fill. We have jobs for students coming out with these degrees,” says Scott Kettler, general manager of Plexus’ manufacturing facilities in Neenah. “It’s been a great collaboration between educational institutions and businesses how they came together to address the need.”

Collaboration also was a must between the participating schools. Led by UW-Oshkosh Chancellor Richard Wells, who retires in August, Fox Valley Technical College President Susan May and other college leaders, NEW ERA members looked at the available offerings and worked together on creating the new program.

The three new bachelor’s degrees being offered are in electrical engineering technology, environmental engineering technology and mechanical engineering technology. The degrees were approved earlier this year by the UW Board of Regents and the Higher Learning Commission, opening the door to students to enroll in the program starting this fall. The degrees use programs and classes already in place at participating schools, which created new classes to fill in the gaps.

Employers helped craft the program by participating in listening sessions and advisory committees, says Greg Kleinheinz, associate dean of the College of Letters and Sciences and director of the Environmental Research and Innovation Center at UW-Oshkosh.

“We talked to them and listened to their needs. We worked with them on how to tailor the program and what it should include,” he says.

That kind of feedback is important, Kettler says. “Manufacturers were asked what kind of skills we were looking for and helped develop the curriculum,” he says. “That way, the students coming out will be right for what’s needed.”

The new program differs from current offerings in the New North, Kleinheinz adds. Engineering technicians are more hands-on than a traditional engineer who may be concerned with design, but have more in-depth studies, such as in management, than students who pursue an associate’s degree at a local technical college.

Kleinheinz predicts there will be two types of students who enroll in the program: those already possessing an associate’s degree from a technical college who are out in the workforce and want to receive their bachelor’s degree; and a traditional student who may start the program at a local technical college or two-year UW school before finishing up in Oshkosh or Green Bay.

“In many cases, I’m guessing we’ll have students coming out of technical colleges with an associate’s degree, get a job and then the employer will help pay for this program so they can further their education and expand their skills,” he says. “It will be a win-win for employer and employee.”

While all program graduates will be in high demand, the ones with the environmental engineering technology degree will especially be sought after since that is a new and growing field, Kleinheinz says. A report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14 percent increase in environmental engineering technology positions between 2010 and 2020. Students with that degree can find work in industries outside of manufacturing, including biotechnology, water and wastewater management and agribusiness.

In Wisconsin, only UW-Stout and the Milwaukee School of Engineering offer bachelor’s degrees in engineering technology.

“You’re taking that technical skills base and adding more analytical thinking and problem-solving skills,” Kettler says. “Those are all important skills to have in addition to that applied, hands-on education. It’s great we are able to develop and nurture these skills in the region.”

NEW ERA Members
In the new engineering technology program, students may enter at any of the 13 NEW ERA colleges including: College of the Menominee Nation, Fox Valley Technical College, Lakeshore Technical College, Moraine Park Technical College, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, University of Wisconsin Extension, UW-Fond du Lac, UW-Fox Valley, UW-Green Bay, UW-Manitowoc, UW-Marinette, UW-Oshkosh and UW-Sheboygan.

The next information/testing sessions are scheduled in August 2014 for Fall CNC Boot Camp at the Fond du Lac Campus and Welding Boot Camp at the Jackson Campus. Registration is required. Each session will include: Information, Tours, TABE Testing, and Mechanical Aptitude Testing.

The group is a private economic development organization and chamber of commerce representing more than 500 businesses across south central Wisconsin, according to the written statement.

Blackhawk Technical College wants permission to exceed the school’s operational levy limit by $4 million annually. The question will be taken to voters Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“Blackhawk Technical College has been an active partner of the south central Wisconsin business community,” said the group in the written statement. “A successful referendum will allow the college to grow and evolve along with the area business community, while a failed referendum could mean a diminished level of workforce development activity and significant personnel and program cuts.”

The referendum, if approved, would allow BTC to permanently increase the school’s local funding by $4 million a year.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. also endorsed the referendum.

“The college has implemented significant cost cutting measures,” said the written statement from Forward Janesville. “These cost cutting measures include increases in employee contributions to health care and retirement accounts, the elimination of various instructional and administrative support positions and program eliminations. Blackhawk Technical College currently has the lowest operating costs per student of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. We support the college’s continued efforts to be fiscally responsible.”

The referendum comes on the heels of Act 145, which sends $406 million in additional state aid to technical colleges to reduce property taxes. The act does not provide more money, just a change in where the school’s funding comes from, according to BTC officials.

Taxpayers would see an overall decrease in taxes paid to the technical college regardless of whether the referendum passes because of the increase in state aid, officials said.

If the referendum passes, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $51 a year.

If the referendum fails, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $88 a year.

Forward Janesville is endorsing Blackhawk Technical College’s August referendum, the group announced in a written statement.

The group is a private economic development organization and chamber of commerce representing more than 500 businesses across south central Wisconsin, according to the written statement.

Blackhawk Technical College wants permission to exceed the school’s operational levy limit by $4 million annually. The question will be taken to voters Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“Blackhawk Technical College has been an active partner of the south central Wisconsin business community,” said the group in the written statement. “A successful referendum will allow the college to grow and evolve along with the area business community, while a failed referendum could mean a diminished level of workforce development activity and significant personnel and program cuts.”

The referendum, if approved, would allow BTC to permanently increase the school’s local funding by $4 million a year.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. also endorsed the referendum.

“The college has implemented significant cost cutting measures,” said the written statement from Forward Janesville. “These cost cutting measures include increases in employee contributions to health care and retirement accounts, the elimination of various instructional and administrative support positions and program eliminations. Blackhawk Technical College currently has the lowest operating costs per student of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. We support the college’s continued efforts to be fiscally responsible.”

The referendum comes on the heels of Act 145, which sends $406 million in additional state aid to technical colleges to reduce property taxes. The act does not provide more money, just a change in where the school’s funding comes from, according to BTC officials.

Taxpayers would see an overall decrease in taxes paid to the technical college regardless of whether the referendum passes because of the increase in state aid, officials said.

If the referendum passes, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $51 a year.

If the referendum fails, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $88 a year.

Forward Janesville is endorsing Blackhawk Technical College’s August referendum, the group announced in a written statement.

The group is a private economic development organization and chamber of commerce representing more than 500 businesses across south central Wisconsin, according to the written statement.

Blackhawk Technical College wants permission to exceed the school’s operational levy limit by $4 million annually. The question will be taken to voters Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“Blackhawk Technical College has been an active partner of the south central Wisconsin business community,” said the group in the written statement. “A successful referendum will allow the college to grow and evolve along with the area business community, while a failed referendum could mean a diminished level of workforce development activity and significant personnel and program cuts.”

The referendum, if approved, would allow BTC to permanently increase the school’s local funding by $4 million a year.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. also endorsed the referendum.

“The college has implemented significant cost cutting measures,” said the written statement from Forward Janesville. “These cost cutting measures include increases in employee contributions to health care and retirement accounts, the elimination of various instructional and administrative support positions and program eliminations. Blackhawk Technical College currently has the lowest operating costs per student of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. We support the college’s continued efforts to be fiscally responsible.”

The referendum comes on the heels of Act 145, which sends $406 million in additional state aid to technical colleges to reduce property taxes. The act does not provide more money, just a change in where the school’s funding comes from, according to BTC officials.

Taxpayers would see an overall decrease in taxes paid to the technical college regardless of whether the referendum passes because of the increase in state aid, officials said.

If the referendum passes, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $51 a year.

If the referendum fails, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $88 a year.

Forward Janesville is endorsing Blackhawk Technical College’s August referendum, the group announced in a written statement.

The group is a private economic development organization and chamber of commerce representing more than 500 businesses across south central Wisconsin, according to the written statement.

Blackhawk Technical College wants permission to exceed the school’s operational levy limit by $4 million annually. The question will be taken to voters Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“Blackhawk Technical College has been an active partner of the south central Wisconsin business community,” said the group in the written statement. “A successful referendum will allow the college to grow and evolve along with the area business community, while a failed referendum could mean a diminished level of workforce development activity and significant personnel and program cuts.”

The referendum, if approved, would allow BTC to permanently increase the school’s local funding by $4 million a year.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. also endorsed the referendum.

“The college has implemented significant cost cutting measures,” said the written statement from Forward Janesville. “These cost cutting measures include increases in employee contributions to health care and retirement accounts, the elimination of various instructional and administrative support positions and program eliminations. Blackhawk Technical College currently has the lowest operating costs per student of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. We support the college’s continued efforts to be fiscally responsible.”

The referendum comes on the heels of Act 145, which sends $406 million in additional state aid to technical colleges to reduce property taxes. The act does not provide more money, just a change in where the school’s funding comes from, according to BTC officials.

Taxpayers would see an overall decrease in taxes paid to the technical college regardless of whether the referendum passes because of the increase in state aid, officials said.

If the referendum passes, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $51 a year.

If the referendum fails, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $88 a year.

Forward Janesville is endorsing Blackhawk Technical College’s August referendum, the group announced in a written statement.

The group is a private economic development organization and chamber of commerce representing more than 500 businesses across south central Wisconsin, according to the written statement.

Blackhawk Technical College wants permission to exceed the school’s operational levy limit by $4 million annually. The question will be taken to voters Tuesday, Aug. 12.

“Blackhawk Technical College has been an active partner of the south central Wisconsin business community,” said the group in the written statement. “A successful referendum will allow the college to grow and evolve along with the area business community, while a failed referendum could mean a diminished level of workforce development activity and significant personnel and program cuts.”

The referendum, if approved, would allow BTC to permanently increase the school’s local funding by $4 million a year.

The Greater Beloit Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Beloit Economic Development Corp. also endorsed the referendum.

“The college has implemented significant cost cutting measures,” said the written statement from Forward Janesville. “These cost cutting measures include increases in employee contributions to health care and retirement accounts, the elimination of various instructional and administrative support positions and program eliminations. Blackhawk Technical College currently has the lowest operating costs per student of all technical colleges in Wisconsin. We support the college’s continued efforts to be fiscally responsible.”

The referendum comes on the heels of Act 145, which sends $406 million in additional state aid to technical colleges to reduce property taxes. The act does not provide more money, just a change in where the school’s funding comes from, according to BTC officials.

Taxpayers would see an overall decrease in taxes paid to the technical college regardless of whether the referendum passes because of the increase in state aid, officials said.

If the referendum passes, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $51 a year.

If the referendum fails, taxes paid to Blackhawk Tech on a $100,000 house would drop about $88 a year.

Filed under: BTC, referendum Tagged: Blackhawk Technical College, referendum]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/forward-janesville-supports-blackhawk-tech-referendum/feed/0wistechcollegesMATC to get $2.6 million from state for worker traininghttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/matc-to-get-2-6-million-from-state-for-worker-training/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/matc-to-get-2-6-million-from-state-for-worker-training/#commentsMon, 21 Jul 2014 14:59:11 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10663From biztimes.com: "MATC to get $2.6 million from state for worker training" -- Milwaukee Area Technical College will get $2.6 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant funds from the state to train up to 546 workers for in-demand fields, Gov. Scott Walker announced today. [...]]]>From biztimes.com: “MATC to get $2.6 million from state for worker training” — Milwaukee Area Technical College will get $2.6 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grant funds from the state to train up to 546 workers for in-demand fields, Gov. Scott Walker announced today.

The funds are part of a $28 million grant package, announced earlier this week, for the state’s technical colleges to train up to 4,908 workers for jobs that employers need to fill.

“The Wisconsin Fast Forward program makes targeted investments in worker training, which will strengthen the workforce and ensure we have workers to fill the jobs of today and tomorrow,” Walker said.

MATC will receive: $687,960 to train 125 students in early childhood education, $652,113 to train 66 students in truck driving, $546,945 to train 307 students in health care to be certified nursing assistants, and $703,500 to train 48 students in CNC manufacturing.

“This grant will provide MATC the opportunity to prepare area residents for employment in high-demand fields in southeastern Wisconsin,” said MATC President Dr. Vicki J. Martin. “These programs are among our most popular and the funds will allow us to educate, train, and prepare more students for careers that are essential to Wisconsin’s economic vitality.”

In a visit to CVTC’s Health Education Center Friday, July 18, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced the intent to award more than $28 million in Wisconsin Fast Forward grants to all 16 colleges in the Wisconsin Technical College System (WTCS). The grants will train more than 4,900 workers for in-demand jobs.

CVTC’s share of the grants will be $1,223,540.

“It’s for about 200 more students,” Walker said. “It’s about the students getting the training, not only for a job, but for a career.”

Blechinger, a 2005 Boyceville High School graduate, has been biding her time working as an EMT and in the phlebotomy lab at Mayo Health Systems, but she’s been anxious to get started on a new career, perhaps in pediatric nursing.

“I was scheduled to start the Nursing program in January 2015, Blechinger said. “Now I’ll be able to graduate months early and join the workforce.”

“Our administration has made worker training a top priority, allocating more than $135 million in new resources to equip Wisconsin workers with the skills needed to fill jobs that employers have available,” Walker said. “This substantial investment in the Wisconsin Technical College System will help our top-notch technical colleges build the capacity to train thousands of workers across the state with skills we know are in high demand by employers.”

“It is a vital part of CVTC’s mission to support the workforce needs of the region, and to do so we must constantly keep up with a changing economy,” said CVTC President Bruce Barker. “The additional funds will increase our ability to respond rapidly to the needs of both our graduates and the employers who want to hire them. Shorter waiting lists in high demand fields serve everyone’s interests.”

Most CVTC programs do not have waiting lists, and there are openings in the fall term for programs in some of the high demand fields. A complete list of the programs with waiting lists that will be positively affected by the grant will be determined by CVTC and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), which will administer the grants. Capacity will be added in 100 programs throughout the WTCS system. Training programs cover key industry sectors such as manufacturing, health care, transportation, construction and architecture, and education.

“I think it’s great the waiting lists are going to be shorter,” said Blechinger.

“With this announcement, the State of Wisconsin is giving workers the chance to increase their skills and move into a new job or a better job,” said DWD Secretary Reggie Newson, who also attended Friday’s announcement.

A better job is what Nai Nou Her is hoping for. Her has been expecting to be on the waiting list in the Dental Hygienist program for three years, but now has hopes that the grant will help her move up.

“I just graduated from the Dental Assistant program,” Her said. “I might go to school part time while I’m waiting.” She’s working as a dental assistant, but becoming a hygienist will result in higher pay.

Technical colleges submitted initial lists of programs for grant consideration earlier this year. DWD developed processes to validate wait lists for grant eligibility purposes, evaluate each technical college’s funding request, make award decisions, and monitor taxpayers’ investment. Grant funds can be used for expenses such as course development, instructor wages and purchase of materials. Individual grant awards will be announced for each technical college over the next two weeks.

Funds for the grants were allocated in legislation Walker signed into law in March as part of his Blueprint for Prosperity initiative. The legislation allocated an additional $35.4 million in funds to the Wisconsin Fast Forward worker training program, with the funds for this grant being part of that.

Thanks to the timely infusion of more than $1.2 million at the school by the Legislature and governor, she will be able to start this fall.

“It was a nice surprise,” said Blechinger, who said her long-term goal is to become a nurse.

Gov. Scott Walker visited CVTC’s Health Education Center Friday afternoon to announce the funding increase, part of $28 million going to state technical colleges that are expected to train 4,900 people for in-demand jobs.

The grants are allocated through the Blueprint for Posterity program administered by the state Department of Workforce Development. Legislation creating the program passed in March with bipartisan support.

The funding for CVTC will help 196 students start programs in fields such as nursing, public safety and truck driving.

The jobs will help students “get off the sidelines and into the game,” Walker said, and the students are being trained in areas where local employers have said they are lacking qualified people.

“I call it economic development,” said Walker.

Once the students are out in the workforce, they will provide services that are good for their careers and good for the local economy.

“This means not only more jobs, but a better state and better communities overall,” Walker said.

Walker said the technical colleges were “nimble” in quickly starting programs to meet local demand.

Bruce Barker, CVTC president, said the additional funds will increase the school’s ability to respond rapidly to the needs of students and employers.

Another part of the Wisconsin Fast Forward program is increasing opportunities for high school students to earn credits at technical colleges or “recognized creditionals” with businesses while still in high school.

Walker praised Eleva-Strum High School’s Cardinal Manufacturing program, where students studying manufacturing run a business producing and selling parts for area businesses. The students earn high school credit and credits for CVTC.

Walker said a high school in Green Bay was following Eleva-Strum’s example.

A number of area high schools have dual-enrollment programs where students earn high school and CVTC credits, which gives them a head start when they move on to the technical college, said Barker.

“We want more dual enrollment,” Walker said.

According to CVTC officials, the grant will be put to the following uses:

– $591,150 to train 24 in nursing.

– $117,075 to train 12 students to be dental assistants.

– $155,400 to train 64 students to be certified nursing assistants.

– $110,854 to train 32 students in manufacturing to be certified production technicians.

– $88,852 to train 48 students in public safety, emphasizing jail work.

– $160,209 to train 16 students in truck driving.

Barker said with the growth in sand mining in the area there has been increased demand for truck drivers.

Filed under: technical college]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/walker-visits-chippewa-valley-technical-college/feed/0wistechcollegesMadison College receives state granthttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/madison-college-receives-state-grant/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/madison-college-receives-state-grant/#commentsMon, 21 Jul 2014 14:36:50 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10653From wkow.com: "Madison College receives state grant" -- Madison Area Technical College will receive more than $5 million to help train workers for in-demand fields. [...]
]]>From wkow.com: “Madison College receives state grant” – Madison Area Technical College will receive more than $5 million to help train workers for in-demand fields.

The money is part of the $28 million in Wisconsin fast forward grants the Governor announced yesterday.

Officials say it’ll train more than 900 workers at Madison College in fields like nursing, construction and welding.

Filed under: technical college]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/madison-college-receives-state-grant/feed/0wistechcollegesNTC gets $2 million grant from Governor Walkerhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/ntc-gets-2-million-grant-from-governor-walker/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/ntc-gets-2-million-grant-from-governor-walker/#commentsMon, 21 Jul 2014 14:30:30 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10650From waow.com: "NTC gets two million dollar grant from Governor Walker" -- North Central Technical College in Wausau received more than $2 million Friday for its diesel transportation program. [...]]]>From waow.com: “NTC gets two million dollar grant from Governor Walker” – North Central Technical College in Wausau received more than $2 million Friday for its diesel transportation program.

Governor Scott Walker awarded the money to the school. It’s part of the state’s fast forward technical college grants. The grant will also go toward its welding program.

The NTC president says these programs will help students be better prepared for the real world.

“They’re going to have a better quality of life, they’re going to have a strong education, they’re going to have high technical skills in demand and make a very good salary and they’re going to contribute back to their community and to the economic vitality of our region,” said Lori Weyers, NTC’s president.

The school was chosen for the grant through an application. NTC’s president says the grants will help provide a total of 160 jobs.

That willingness to listen and adapt has led to the introduction this fall of a third major in CVTC’s Information Technology program. The IT-mobile developer major will focus on preparing students to serve the growing need for individuals and businesses to communicate via handheld mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers.

“The popularity of mobile devices has just exploded, and Apple is No. 1 in that area,” says IT Instructor Jon Cooley. “We haven’t had anything in our program to deal with that, and our students were telling us that.”

There will be significant overlap in the required courses in the new mobile developer major and CVTC’s existing software developer major, but several new courses are being introduced specifically to address the world of mobile communication devices.

Cooley will teach the first course to be offered in the mobile developer major. Called Objective C Programming-Cocoa, it will teach students the underlying language for programming Apple’s iPhones and iMac computers.

Development of the mobile developer major was undertaken with input from the IT Department’s Advisory Committee, which consists of representatives of various businesses and industries within CVTC’s 11-county region.

“Most of the companies on our Advisory Committee are using, or are at least planning to introduce, mobile (communication) applications,” Cooley says. “So the base for mobile applications is already here and it will expand.”

As a result, there projects to be a growing number of jobs available to graduates with the mobile developer major at a variety of local companies, including Menards, JAMF Software, IDEXX Laboratories and Menards in Eau Claire; TTM Technologies in Chippewa Falls; and Sajan in River Falls.

But graduates with the mobile developer major won’t face geographic limitations when it comes to seeking employment, Cooley predicts.

“Mobile development has exploded nationally and internationally,” he says. “So learning the skills we’ll teach in this program is basically a passport to getting a job anywhere.”

George Andrews, who also will teach courses in the new major, agrees with Cooley, saying the need for people with mobile developer skills “has pretty much been skyrocketing in the past few years.” That trend will continue, he says, because companies that have an online presence will need to incorporate a mobile aspect.

“The direction technology is heading means that anything you can do on a desktop you will be able to do on your phone with the proper mobile app,” Andrews says.

Shawn Creviston, who chairs CVTC’s IT Department, says the mobile developer major will limit instruction to the Apple and Google Android platforms of mobile technology.

“There are others, like Blackberry and Microsoft, in the smartphone universe. But they don’t have nearly the market share that Apple and Android have,” Creviston says. “For most of the consumers and the businesses around our area, those are the two they focus on.”

The mobile developer major will prepare students for jobs with all kinds of companies, not just those strictly related to computers, Creviston says.

In the CVTC region, graduates will be able to find jobs with many manufacturing plants and retail outlets, he says. And they will find themselves doing things like creating applications for online purchasing, mobile websites and tracking inventory.

“It really comes down to whom you get employed with,” he says. “We have so many different employers in this area and they all have their own needs.”

The Twin Cities will be fertile ground for graduates with a mobile developer major, a key reason it will by the first IT major offered at CVTC’s River Falls campus as well as in Eau Claire, Creviston says.

With its initial allocation of a three-year, $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, CVTC has installed new labs in Eau Claire and River Falls filled with iMac desktop computers. Most mobile developer courses will be held in the Mac labs.

The grant also will cover the cost of hiring new IT faculty member Eric Wackwitz, who will teach all of the mobile developer courses in River Falls.

Wackwitz, who graduated from CVTC with an IT degree in 1997, returns to the college from United Health Group in Eau Claire, where for the past 15 years he developed mobile applications for business use.

Wackwitz’s description of how he feels about his new job are summed up in a statement that seems to encapsulate the general attitude of all involved in introducing the mobile developer major.

“It’s exciting,” he says, “and terrifying at the same time.”

Filed under: CVTC, information technology Tagged: Chippewa Valley Technical College, emerging technologies, f, mobile developer major, mobile developer training]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/21/cvtc-unveils-mobile-major/feed/0wistechcollegesWigwam partners with Lakeshore Tech to engage youth in manufacturinghttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/wigwam-partners-with-lakeshore-tech-to-engage-youth-in-manufacturing/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/wigwam-partners-with-lakeshore-tech-to-engage-youth-in-manufacturing/#commentsFri, 18 Jul 2014 13:55:19 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10645From motomag.com: "Wigwam Partners with Lakeshore Technical College to Engage Youth in Manufacturing" -- Wigwam Mills, Inc. recently partnered with Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) to participate in the Sheboygan Area Youth Apprenticeship program to get more graduating adults interested and involved in careers in manufacturing. [...]]]>From motoemag.com: “Wigwam partners with Lakeshore Technical College to Engage Youth In Manufacturing” — Wigwam Mills, Inc. recently partnered with Lakeshore Technical College (LTC) to participate in the Sheboygan Area Youth Apprenticeship program to get more graduating adults interested and involved in careers in manufacturing.

Youth Apprenticeships offer students in high school the opportunity to explore future careers while receiving school credit and pay for the work they are performing. The Youth Apprenticeship program is limited to high school juniors and seniors and covers a wide variety of job fields such as, Health, Finance, Hospitality, Culinary, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) and Manufacturing.

In addition to requiring the students to work a minimum of 450 hours on the job, they are required to take one job related class each semester at either their high school, if available, or at LTC. The student will receive college credit for any classes taken at LTC and the cost of tuition and books is covered by a grant from the Wisconsin Department of Workforce and Development. Last year, the Sheboygan Area Youth Apprenticeship program placed approximately 65 students from 11 area high schools into various career opportunities with more than 30 area companies.

For the 2014-2015 school year, Wigwam has hired one student to participate in the Youth Apprenticeship program as a Knitting Mechanic. This student will work mainly 1st shift hours during the summer and then switch to partial afternoon hours during the school year. “Our hope,” said Jerry Vogel, President at Wigwam Mills Inc., “is that this student, as well as others involved in the Sheboygan Area Youth Apprenticeship program, will develop a renewed interest in manufacturing and look to Wigwam as a career choice after graduation.”

The Wisconsin Fast Forward grants, which were created by law in March with bipartisan support in the Legislature, will be administered by the Department of Workforce Development.

The grants are intended to add capacity to 100 programs at all 16 technical colleges and accommodate up to 4,908 additional students in training programs in key industry sectors such as manufacturing, health care, transportation, construction and architecture, and education.

Grant funds can be used for expenses such as course development, instructor wages, and purchase of consumable materials. They cannot be used for financial aid, tuition, or capital improvements.

Individual grant awards will be announced at each technical college over the next two weeks.

The Department of Workforce Development developed objective, data-driven measurement tools and processes to validate wait lists for grant eligibility purposes, evaluate each technical college’s funding request, make award decisions, and monitor taxpayers’ investment, according to the governor’s office.

“This substantial investment in the Wisconsin Technical College System will help our top-notch technical colleges build the capacity to train thousands of workers across the state with skills we know are in high demand by employers,” Walker said in a prepared statement.

Wisconsin Technical College System President Morna Foy said the technical college system is energized “not only by the investment in our strong partnership with DWD, but also by the confidence in our technical colleges to deliver on these grants.”

The legislation Walker signed into law in March as part of his Blueprint for Prosperity initiative calls for allocating a total of $35.4 million to the Wisconsin Forward worker training program with a focus on three areas:

· Collaborative projects between high schools, technical colleges, businesses, and other partners to increase opportunities for high school pupils to earn industry-recognized credentials; and

· Enhancing the employment opportunities of workers with disabilities.

The Department of Workforce Development already has awarded more than $2.1 million in grants to train high school students in school-to-work programs, and is currently seeking grant applications with up to $1 million available to train workers with disabilities.

Filed under: access, jobs, skilled workers, Wisconsin Fast Forward, Wisconsin workforce development Tagged: high-demand jobs, Wisconsin Fast Forward, Wisconsin Technical College System, workforce training grants]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/technical-colleges-to-share-28-million-to-train-workers-for-high-demand-jobs/feed/0wistechcollegesMid-State Tech helps Rapids city government improve processeshttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/mid-state-tech-helps-rapids-city-government-improve-processes/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/18/mid-state-tech-helps-rapids-city-government-improve-processes/#commentsFri, 18 Jul 2014 13:37:44 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10639From wisconsinrapidstribune.com: "Vruwink: Here's how we're improving city gov't" -- Shortly into my first term as mayor of Wisconsin Rapids, I pledged to pursue streamlining operations and making government more efficient, effective and customer-friendly. [...]]]>From wisconsinrapidstribune.com: “Vruwink: Here’s how we’re improving city gov’t” – By Zach Vruwink, mayor of Wisconsin Rapids – Shortly into my first term as mayor of Wisconsin Rapids, I pledged to pursue streamlining operations and making government more efficient, effective and customer-friendly. With support of that vision from the City Council and a partnership with Mid-State Technical College, our employees began Lean Six Sigma training to equip us with the tools to identify improvement projects, approach problem solving differently and form cross-functional teams across departments to develop new solutions to the way we approach new and everyday tasks.

We live in a world where the expectation to do things “better” is commonplace. An investment in professional development, specifically in process improvement, exposes employees to additional ways to identify and solve problems, resulting in improved service and increased customer satisfaction — in our case, our “customers” are our employees and our residents.

Now, just a year after our formal launch of the initiative, I am happy to report that over 25 percent of our employees have been trained in the fundamentals of process improvement. Even more have been involved with identifying processes for improvement and as “subject matter experts” in their specific areas of process improvement.

On June 25, all city employees were invited to a report-out event to recognize the progress of the initiative and provide an overview of the projects they are working on. The event was a reminder of how far we’ve come, and it was a chance to see what improvements are being made across the organization and encourage interdepartmental collaboration among all employees.

Just as significant, the “Rapid Improvement” process has given us the opportunity for self-reflection from those of us in the organization; that’s something that can often be the difference from an organization being “good enough” and being “great.”

The result, I’m excited to announce, is seven projects near completion. For example, we are examining the city’s special assessments process; its business inspection process; and even the library’s book check-in and shelving process.

Take the business inspection process: City departments such as police, fire and code enforcement have heard from businesses that our compliance inspection process should be improved. Previously, departments conducted individual visits, disrupting businesses as frequently as six times per year. After the project team applied the Lean Six Sigma methodology, business inspections (or disruptions) have been reduced to one or two annually. Businesses now are informed proactively of common violations and also have a voice in further improving the process. This allows departments time to perform other functions and disrupts businesses less, all the while preserving the integrity of inspections.

Since the essence of the Rapid Improvement initiative is “continuous improvement,” projects will continue to be started and completed with varying degrees of impact. An internal steering team has scored and will continue to score employee-submitted projects to be worked on in the future. Residents, too, are invited to submit improvement projects for improvement.

Each day we show up for work with the opportunity to not only do our jobs, but also to make a significant impact on how we improve processes within our organization and within our city. I’m proud of the progress our city employees have made so far in the initiative and I look forward to continuing our journey of process improvement, identifying project opportunities, measuring our efficiency and ultimately improving the delivery of city services.

The 20-year-old has an easy-going personality yet an intense drive toward an apprenticeship this fall in plastic injection molding. He’s being courted by a couple of machine shops and with his credentials more are likely to show interest.

In April, the 2012 Portage High School graduate took gold at the state’s post-secondary SkillsUSA championship in precision machining. Last month, he placed fourth in the same category at the national SkillsUSA Competition in Kansas City. The previous year, he placed seventh.

“My goal was I wanted to be in the top three, but getting fourth will go on my resume,” Schmudlach said. It’s not bad for his ego either, he said with a laugh.

Three vans from Madison College took students and instructors to the five-day competition. Schmudlach was accompanied by J.R. Colvin, a metrology instructor who worked closely with him to prepare, but at competition it’s all about the student’s skills without guidance.

The skilled trades convention and competition take the top state qualifiers and have them pit their abilities against each other in a best of the best test. The skilled areas range from aviation maintenance technology and welding to technical drafting and cabinetmaking.

Earlier this year, Schmudlach graduated from Madison College-Truax for machine tool and is employed/mentored at Isthmus Engineering & Manufacturing in Madison.

“I’m a jack-of-all-trades there, that’s what I want to be (in this profession),” Schmudlach said. “I have a desire to learn machining like no other. Sure, I may not know the most at the beginning, but by the end I’ll be better than anybody that’s initially better than me.”

At nationals, precision machining had 23 contestants demonstrate manual machining skills and knowledge areas including operation of manual milling machines, lathes, drill presses, and surface grinders. Contestants needed to demonstrate knowledge in hands-on testing with a lathe and mill, take two written tests, be versed in technical math and the ability to communicate verbally using proper industry terminology during an interview.

This was Schmudlach’s last year at the competition since he graduated unless he returns to school for a different trade, like carpentry. His family lives in Endeavor and Schmudlach is eager to be employed this fall when he’s done with his apprenticeship at Isthmus.

“You always need the drive and strive to do more, which I’ve had my whole life,” he said.

The latest round of renovations are underway, with completion expected early next year.

“This is a continuation of projects that we started during the last fiscal year that just ended,” said Bill Whyte, Gateway vice president of human resources and facilities. “Considering work that we started and will be ongoing throughout this fiscal year, we have 48 projects.”

At the Kenosha campus, the main academic building is being renovated to accommodate the Learning Success Center, which includes a career testing center, a tutoring facility and a counseling facility for special-needs students. That portion is to be completed by mid-August.

Another phase will include renovations to accommodate a student services facility, a financial aid office and academic advising. This phase is to be completed early next year.

In Elkhorn, renovation of the oldest building on campus began earlier this year. It will be renovated to accommodate an upgraded student center, a cafeteria and conference center. It is a 41,000-square-foot building in need of some upgrading.

“It’s an older building that needs a little tender loving care,” Whyte said. “There will be a new kitchen, mail room and bookstore too.”

Another Elkhorn building has been leased to the Department of Workforce Development. That department will be moved to the older building when renovation is completed.

Meanwhile, the building that has housed the DWD will be converted to a veterinary sciences facility that will house a new academic program to begin in fall 2015.

Whyte said a veterinarian was recently hired and curriculum is being developed. The program is for veterinarian technicians and assistants.

Funding for the renovations will come through the sale of bonds, Whyte said.

Gateway’s board Monday approved another $1.5 million appropriation that will be used for construction at the Elkhorn campus. Under Wisconsin law, renovation spending must be approved in $1.5 million packages.

The board will meet again next month to approve another $1.5 million package to fund work at the Kenosha campus, according to Whyte.

Filed under: facilities, GTC, technical college Tagged: college facilities, Gateway Technical College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/gateway-approves-funding-for-renovation-projects/feed/0wistechcollegesColumn: The future workforce is here, workinghttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/column-the-future-workforce-is-here-working/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/column-the-future-workforce-is-here-working/#commentsThu, 17 Jul 2014 15:35:43 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10628From wausaudailyherald.com: "The future workforce is here, working" -- If you follow the news, you've heard about a shrinking workforce facing employers. As more baby boomers retire each year, employers need to find and develop individuals who will be able to support the growth of their businesses in the years ahead. [...]]]>From wausaudailyherald.com: “The future workforce is here, working” – By Donna Schulz-Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator for Northcentral Technical College – If you follow the news, you’ve heard about a shrinking workforce facing employers. As more baby boomers retire each year, employers need to find and develop individuals who will be able to support the growth of their businesses in the years ahead.

These news stories remind me of a public service announcement from television in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s; the question “Do you know where your children are?” was asked during the 10 p.m. news as a reminder to parents that it was important for them to know where their children were and what they were doing. It seems the question employers dealing with an aging workforce are trying to answer is, “Do you know where your future employees are?”

I can tell you part of the answer is that they’re right here in the community, going to high school (taking classes that might surprise you), and trying to find the answer to their own question, “Do you know where your future is?”

This past year, 309 juniors and seniors from 21 high schools within the Northcentral Technical College district were literally working to find the answer to that question for themselves by participating in Wisconsin’s Youth Apprenticeship program.

YA is a rigorous one- or two-year program that combines mentored, paid, on-the-job learning with academic and technical instruction related to a specific program area. That means students working at a local bank through a finance apprenticeship are studying business, math and financial management; students completing an apprenticeship in manufacturing are perhaps taking welding, machining and manufacturing classes; students working at a healthcare facility may have taken a nursing assistant course at NTC along with medical terminology, biology, anatomy and physiology at their high school.

These students are seeing a real-world connection between their classrooms and the workplace. An exit survey taken by high school seniors who finished their apprenticeships this year provides some thought-provoking data. Of 173 graduating seniors, 151 have plans to attend some type of post-secondary school. While 26 of these students hope to focus only on school, the rest have plans to work while in school. And here’s where it gets really interesting: 85 percent of those 125 students are continuing to work for their YA employer, and 71 percent will be majoring in a field related to their apprenticeship.

Based on these numbers, you can see that some employees of the future are here now, developing relationships with employers who are helping them find their futures. If you would like to learn more about opportunities to hire a youth apprentice, contact the youth apprenticeship coordinator at your local high school or Donna Schulz at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau at schulz@ntc.edu.

The Iraq War veteran decided to attend Northeast Wisconsin Technical College in Green Bay, Wis., to earn certificates in advanced manufacturing when he got back to the United States in 2006, and five years ago was hired by the college as a lab technician, he told Providence Business News in a phone interview.

For the past three years, he has worked as the mobile-lab technician with a few teachers and as many as 12 high school students at a time in the mobile lab, which travels about 50 miles within the school district and cost about $300,000, Bronkhorst said. The high schools pay about $5,000 for every two semesters of use, he said. Precise costs for the lab itself, a trailer hitched to a commercial grade pickup truck, and its operating costs were unavailable.

“If I can convince some of these kids to go out and learn a trade and get a job, that’s a huge win,” said Bronkhorst, the lab technician.

Rhode Island educators found out about a Michigan mobile lab just being implemented this summer and fall that is based on the Wisconsin model, and are actively exploring how such a vehicle might be used in connection with programs at the University of Rhode Island, the Community College of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College.

Chris Semonelli, one of several co-directors in the Newport County Mentor Co-Op, met on June 27 with URI President David M. Dooley to further the conversation. Semonelli said he focused on the collaboration between North Central Michigan College, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Northern Lakes Economic Alliance, and a local manufacturer, Precision Edge Surgical Products Inc. of Boyne City, Mich.

Filed under: hands on, high school, manufacturing, NWTC, technical college Tagged: manufacturing training, mobile training lab, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/14/other-states-follow-nwtc-lead-with-mobile-lab/feed/0wistechcollegesHottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge coming July 17https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/hottest-kitchen-entrepreneur-challenge-coming-july-17/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/hottest-kitchen-entrepreneur-challenge-coming-july-17/#commentsFri, 11 Jul 2014 14:58:17 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10622From expressmilwaukee.com: "Milwaukee supporting new food business concepts" -- Greater Milwaukee is a sturdy hub for emerging food artists and continues to gain acclaim for the impressive amount of locally owned and operated businesses and restaurants within the foodie scene. [...]]]>From expressmilwaukee.com: “Milwaukee supporting new food business concepts” – Greater Milwaukee is a sturdy hub for emerging food artists and continues to gain acclaim for the impressive amount of locally owned and operated businesses and restaurants within the foodie scene. Our city has many unique gourmet restaurants and businesses, mobile food trucks and distinctive product lines that continue to enter the market, but starting a business is not an easy feat. Giving local entrepreneurs a springboard to help begin realizing or further expand their food dreams is Milwaukee’s annual Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge.

Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), which has a great culinary program and entrepreneurial center; Reliable Water Services, a local provider of commercial water heaters, boilers and softeners for restaurants; and FaB Wisconsin, a food and beverage industry cluster helping to encourage other entrepreneurs to grow their business, are now in their third year of sponsoring the challenge, which seeks to find Wisconsin’s next great food entrepreneurs. Different from a recipe contest, this competition seeks to support inspired culinary concepts, so participants are not only judged on taste, but also creativity, possibility, marketability, packaging and other important factors that help lead to business success.

This year, participants entered in one of two categories: the Start Up category for those who are ready to take the next step and get their product on the market, and the Early Stage category for those who have already gone to market in small ways, but have been in the business three years or less and are looking to take their product to the next level.

This year, dozens of entrepreneurs entered the Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge. Three have been chosen as finalists in each category to compete for the two grand prizes of $2,000 seed money from Reliable Water Services, a comprehensive entrepreneur consultation package from MATC, a private meeting with FaB Wisconsin’s food industry executives and a funding and growth consultation with financial specialists at MW Growth Partners. Finalists are Mary Pellettieri’s (Milwaukee) Top Note Tonics sodas, Jennifer Goldbeck’s (Cedarburg) Packaged European Buttercream icings, and Nicole Meredith’s (Milwaukee) Wilhemena’s Pies pecan pies in the Start Up category; and Jackie Valent Lucca’s (Brookfield) Love Dust spices, Austin Ashley, Hallie Ashley and Zac Mathes’ (Viroqua) Wisco Pop! sodas, and Robyn Wright’s (Dousman) PoSaNa Organics gluten-free baking mixes in the Early Stage category.

Christel Henke, the Challenge’s project coordinator, says, “Milwaukee has such a great food culture and is so supportive of new food ideas, judging by the great number of restaurants and products that come into the market. It’s really fun to be able to help move forward some of these new concepts in a market that’s really receptive for it. And from a new business standpoint, from the aspect of supporting the local economy, we’re really helping move forward some of these new entrepreneurs.”

The final judging will take place at a Food Network-style event on Thursday, July 17, at noon at MATC’s new student-operated 6th Street Café (1015 N. Sixth St.). The event will feature eight renowned food expert judges who will listen to each finalist’s three-minute presentation about their concept, taste-test the product and then decide the grand prize winner of each category. A few judges include Kurt Fogle, executive pastry chef of SURG Restaurant Group, Lynn Sbonik, co-owner of Beans & Barley, Jen Ede, publisher of Edible Milwaukee magazine and Rakesh (Ryan) Rehan, owner of Café India. And the best part about the event? The final judging is open to the public and samples of each participant’s product will be available to try.

For more information about this year’s finalists, judges or event details, visit Reliable Water Services’ website at www.hotwater247.com. Perspective food entrepreneurs are encouraged to check back often for future information about the challenge.

Six Chicago-area garden clubs affiliated with the Garden Club of America presented the competitive flower show, Show of Summer, with the theme “Our Kind of Town” on June 21 and 22 at the Chicago Botanic Garden. One of the main purposes of the show was to educate visitors about horticulture, flower arranging and conservation. This year, participants were asked to interpret the theme “Our Kind of Town” throughout the displays. More than 100 members from dozens of GCA clubs around the country participated in the event.

All of Rogers’ plants were grown in the greenhouse on the Environmental Campus at LTC and were often incorporated into classroom instruction. Some also have been propagated as offerings at the LTC Horticulture Club’s plant sales held in late April and early May.

Rogers’ 10-year-old Deuterocohnia brevifolia, a relative of Spanish moss and pineapple, won both Best in Show and the Certificate of Excellence in Horticulture.

Rogers also produced and sowed the seeds for a hybrid Aloe. It won the Louise Agee Wrinkle Award for Propagation at the event.

Filed under: instructors, LTC, technical college Tagged: horticulture instructor, Lakeshore Technical College, Show of Summer]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/ltcs-rogers-wins-awards-at-horticulture-event/feed/0wistechcollegesMedford senior receives full scholarship for Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technician programhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/medford-senior-receives-full-scholarship-for-diesel-heavy-equipment-technician-program/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/medford-senior-receives-full-scholarship-for-diesel-heavy-equipment-technician-program/#commentsFri, 11 Jul 2014 14:42:35 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10617From mstc.edu: "MSTC Foundation awards full-tuition Bethke Transportation Scholarship" -- In honor of the generosity of the late Leonard and Lillian Bethke, the Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) Foundation offers a full-tuition scholarship each year to graduating high school seniors planning to pursue a technical diploma in the Automotive Technician program or Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician program. [...]]]>From mstc.edu: “MSTC Foundation awards full-tuition Bethke Transportation Scholarship” — In honor of the generosity of the late Leonard and Lillian Bethke, the Mid-State Technical College (MSTC) Foundation offers a full-tuition scholarship each year to graduating high school seniors planning to pursue a technical diploma in the Automotive Technician program or Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician program. Medford High School senior Samuel Buehler was selected to receive the 2014 award. He is pursuing a technical diploma in MSTC’s Diesel & Heavy Equipment Technician program.

Buehler, Medford, is the son of Larry and Rosemary Buehler. During high school, he was involved in football, FFA fundraisers, High Mileage Vehicle (HMV) competitions, Pep Band, and Science Olympiad. He also enjoys hunting, fishing, and ATV and motorcycle riding.

Buehler has work experience in retail grocery customer service, Schierl Tire Service, and farm work. He is motivated by major modifications and new ideas to improve gas mileage in the automotive industry and high technology diesel engines.

The Leonard & Lillian Bethke Transportation Scholarship has a value of up to $10,000, which covers tuition and fees. Buehler was selected by the MSTC Scholarship Selection Committee. Students’ academic achievements, pre-entrance test results, financial need, extracurricular activities and responses to essay questions were reviewed and assessed by the committee. To remain eligible for the continuation of scholarship funds, recipients must maintain required academic standings.

Filed under: MSTC, scholarships Tagged: Diesel and Heavy Equipment Technician, full scholarship, Mid-State Technical College, tech college scholarship]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/11/medford-senior-receives-full-scholarship-for-diesel-heavy-equipment-technician-program/feed/0wistechcollegesMATC will provide instruction at new techology training centerhttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/matc-will-provide-instruction-at-new-techology-training-center/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/matc-will-provide-instruction-at-new-techology-training-center/#commentsThu, 10 Jul 2014 14:04:23 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10615From jsonline.com: "Milwaukee Housing Authority OKs new technology training center" -- The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee announced on Wednesday the creation of a $1.2 million technology training center, the first program to be developed outside the walls of its many public housing projects. [...]]]>From jsonline.com: “Milwaukee Housing Authority OKs new technology training center” –The Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee announced on Wednesday the creation of a $1.2 million technology training center, the first program to be developed outside the walls of its many public housing projects.

Antonio Perez, executive director of the housing authority, said the new center would be at the Adult Learning Center and would be operated in partnership with Milwaukee Area Technical College, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church and others.

“We want to use housing as a platform to continue to be relevant to those inside and outside the walls of our housing units,” Perez said at the housing authority’s annual meeting, held under a tent in the parking lot of the Adult Learning Center, 1916 N. 4th St.

The new tech facility, called the Milwaukee iCenter, will be built in space on the second floor of the Adult Learning Center, which leases the building from St. Francis Church across the street. It is scheduled to open in 2015.

The center is financed with a $1.2 million grant that the housing authority received from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

MATC will provide instruction, case management and tech support services at the center. Job readiness and youth educational activities will be provided by the Milwaukee Area Workforce Investment Board, Milwaukee Public Schools, the housing authority and others.

The center will blend classroom instruction with online advanced courses so that those who use the center can develop and improve their technology skills, prepare for jobs and use the training to potentially continue on to MATC for additional credentials and certifications in the tech industry.

Once completed, the center will be open to adult learners who attend the center, residents of housing authority projects, including nearby Hillside and Lapham Park, and others.

Perez said the housing authority looked for a place to house the tech center and decided instead to team up with the Adult Learning Center, which already teaches adult educational classes and has a staff and corps of an estimated 100 volunteers.

With decreasing federal money, the housing authority needs to leverage the government funds it receives and work with others in the community to provide services, he said.

The Adult Learning Center has been working with adults for 34 years and has helped more than 350 get their GED, said Herb Hayden, director.

“This new iCenter will bridge the technology divide and make adult learners more marketable,” he said of the new partnership with the housing authority.

The Adult Learning Center gets 90% of its money from foundations and private sources, with MATC providing teachers and support, he said.

Cynthia Dalton, 43, told those gathered for the meeting that she first went to the center in 2008 to work on her GED and managed to get it in 2013. But in the process, she got help with a hearing disability and housing, she told those gathered for the meeting.

While she was attending classes at the center, a volunteer noticed her speech and hearing difficulty and suggested she be tested, Hayden said in an interview.

“Since I was about 6 years old I’ve had speech and hearing problems, but I didn’t think they were so bad,” Dalton said.

Audiology tests showed she had about a 70% hearing loss, Hayden said.

“A hearing loss can impact and slow down learning,” he said.

Dalton said, “I was frustrated.”

After the tests and the diagnosis, a center volunteer paid for a hearing aid for Dalton, Hayden said.

“It’s made a huge difference,” she said. “I could hear and understand.”

Dalton said she also encountered homelessness and the center helped her to find shelter and later a place to live.

Today she’s studying at MATC and wants to be a nurse. She’s also learning sign language because she said she hopes to help those with hearing disabilities.

Filed under: information technology, MATC, Wisconsin workforce development, workforce development Tagged: job skills training, Milwaukee Area Technical College, technology skills, workforce development]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/10/matc-will-provide-instruction-at-new-techology-training-center/feed/0wistechcollegesCedarburg baker competes in MATC entrepreneur challengehttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/cedarburg-baker-competes-in-matc-entrepreneur-challenge/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/cedarburg-baker-competes-in-matc-entrepreneur-challenge/#commentsWed, 09 Jul 2014 14:09:12 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10612From gmtoday.com: "A Delicious Experience: Cedarburg baker to take part in entrepreneur challenge" -- Baking has been a part of Jennifer Goldbeck’s professional life for more than seven years. This month, she is entering a new chapter in her foray into the kitchen as she takes part in a local entrepreneurial competition. [...]]]>From gmtoday.com: “A Delicious experience: Cedarburg baker to take part in entrepreneur challenge” — CEDARBURG – Baking has been a part of Jennifer Goldbeck’s professional life for more than seven years. This month, she is entering a new chapter in her foray into the kitchen as she takes part in a local entrepreneurial competition.

Goldbeck, who owns Delicately Delicious in Cedarburg, is one of six finalists in a competition known as the Hottest Kitchen Entrepreneur Challenge. The event will be held at noon July 17, at Milwaukee Area Technical College’s downtown campus.

The entrepreneur challenge, modeled after some of the competitions that have been prevalent on such cable channels as the Food Network, is split into two categories – one for start-up innovations and another for people who are in the early stages of their products.

Goldbeck is one of three finalists in the start-up category. She is going to be showcasing a European vanilla buttercream frosting mix that she recently began selling at her Cedarburg store.

The grand-prize winner within the two category competitions will receive $2,000 in seed money toward his or her business, in addition to a service through MATC that is being described as a comprehensive entrepreneurial consultation package.

While Goldbeck is quick to admit she has her eyes on the prize, she said she is eagerly looking forward to meeting the judges and gathering any insight the various professionals might have. Eight food service veterans across the Milwaukee area will be judging the assorted entries.

“I’m excited to meet all of the people because everyone has such different experiences,” she said. “The time and expertise they will offer is very valuable.”

Goldbeck’s buttercream frosting mix has been a work in progress for about six months. In addition to refining the recipe, she fine-tuned the packing and the directions. Customer response, she said, has been positive.

“People are so much more food savvy today than they ever have been before,” she said. “There’s so much information out there, and people want something that’s quality and gourmet. There’s a craving for it.”

The upcoming challenge is one in a series of growth spurts for Delicately Delicious, which Goldbeck acquired in 2007 from a previous owner. For many years, the business sold only made-to-order cakes.

But Goldbeck decided to evolve the business three years ago, relocating from a commercial kitchen on Center Street to a retail storefront operation along Cedarburg’s bustling Washington Avenue corridor.

“It was good to perfect things,” Goldbeck said, in retrospect. All along, she said she aspired to morph Delicately Delicious into a retail bakery, but she believed the business could have failed if she made such a drastic change before making a series of tweaks.

In its retail iteration, Delicately Delicious features a variety of items that are sure to satisfy just about any person’s sweet tooth. She sells frosted single-layer cakes by the slice, but also showcases a range of cupcakes, cookies and other baked goods.

Early in 2013, Goldbeck expanded Delicately Delicious’ presence into the Bayshore Town Center. She operated a so-called pop-up kiosk shop for Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day. The response was so strong that she decided a year ago to have a presence at the mall full-time.

Goldbeck said she has a number of other projects on the horizon. In fact, one of them – selling a mix of her popular kitchen sink cookies – has just come to fruition. In late June, she began selling the product at the Piggly Wiggly store in Cedarburg.

Retail is a sector Goldbeck has been eyeing, both in a brick-and-mortar and online sense. She aspires to have her products featured through such companies as Williams-Sonoma, since they reach the same target consumer.

For Goldbeck, baking and growing Delicately Delicious has been a labor of love. When asked why she chose to concoct sweet creations, she offered a ready response.

“I enjoy meeting people in the community,” she said. “What’s been great about this is I help people with their celebrations. I get to see the progression in people’s lives for things like weddings, babies and graduations.”

Filed under: Culinary Arts, Entrepreneurship, MATC, technical college Tagged: business start ups, culinary arts competition, entrepreneurship, Milwaukee Area Technical College]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/cedarburg-baker-competes-in-matc-entrepreneur-challenge/feed/0wistechcollegesWCTC to offer program for high-in-demand careershttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/wctc-to-offer-program-for-high-in-demand-careers/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/09/wctc-to-offer-program-for-high-in-demand-careers/#commentsWed, 09 Jul 2014 14:03:06 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10610Fromgmtoday.com: "WCTC to offer program for high-in-demand careers" -- Waukesha County Technical College will offer a new program this fall with training opportunities for high-in-demand careers in information technology. [...]]]>From gmtoday.com: “WCTC to offer program for high-in-demand careers” — PEWAUKEE – Waukesha County Technical College will offer a new program this fall with training opportunities for high-in-demand careers in information technology.

The Network Enterprise Administrator-INTERFACE Accelerated Pathway program is designed for veterans, their spouses and students eligible for Trade Adjustment Assistance programs, Workforce Investment Act programs, and Workforce Development Vocational Rehabilitation programs. It will also be offered to unemployed individuals and qualified adults seeking the next career step.

The program could potentially help fill the skills gap by offering a special pathway for network enterprise administrator-cyber security education, according to a WCTC press release.

Network enterprise administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operations and security of computer networks that are a critical part of almost every organization, and the program will provide students with the skills and experience to support current industry technology implementations.

The program will consist of multiple credential opportunities in certificate form, including enterprise support technician, IT network support specialist, storage and virtualization administrator, and IT security administrator – all leading toward the final credential, the technical diploma.

“The program’s greatest benefits lie in the additional services of in-class tutors to support students throughout the accelerated/hybrid courses, and the four semesters of work-based service learning projects integrated into the curriculum,” said Danielle Hoffman, WCTC’s IT skills and placement coordinator.

“Embedded industry-recognized certificates earned each semester lead to possible job opportunities. Combined with enhanced job search assistance, we expect many students will be working in their chosen field well before graduation.”

Hoffman said INTERFACE is a two-year program and students will earn the certificates along the way, one certificate for each semester. She said the program is designed for students to complete all four semesters, but expects some students will find careers after receiving certificates in their desired field.

The program is funded through the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant program, which provided a $23.1 million grant to be shared among Wisconsin’s 16 technical colleges.

But she’s not sure the community fully realizes the scope of that change.

The Milwaukee native and longtime administrator, whose first day as president was Wednesday, said one of her main goals is to change that.

“We hear a lot about how we’re the best-kept secret,” said Martin, who was MATC’s provost — chief academic officer — before being promoted to president eight days ago. “This institution is so important for so many people, and just about everyone in the community has been touched by an MATC graduate.”

MATC has 200 academic programs, nearly 400 transfer options leading to bachelor’s degrees, and a Pre-College Education division that helps adults complete high school, prepare for college or enter the workforce. The college has a full-time equivalent enrollment of about 13,000 students at its four campuses. It serves a total of 43,000 students including community education, workforce training, and customized business training and workshops.

Managing enrollment will be key.

Community colleges saw a 5.9% dip in enrollment of students over the age of 24, more than double their overall decline, between spring 2012 and 2013, according to enrollment data from the National Student Clearinghouse. MATC has seen its own declines; enrollment booms — like the 10% increase MATC saw at the peak of the recession — typically taper off as the economy rebounds.

But managing the way the community perceives the school also will be critical.

Filed under: enrollment, MATC, skilled workers Tagged: Milwaukee Area Technical College, new college president]]>https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/03/new-president-talks-about-values-and-challenges-for-matc/feed/0wistechcollegesBlackhawk Tech and partners offer six-week CNC traininghttps://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/blackhawk-tech-and-partners-offer-six-week-cnc-training/
https://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/2014/07/02/blackhawk-tech-and-partners-offer-six-week-cnc-training/#commentsWed, 02 Jul 2014 14:21:47 +0000http://wistechcolleges.wordpress.com/?p=10606From wisbusiness.com: "BTC partners with multiple public and private entities to offer additional CNC machine operator training" -- The Business and Community Development Division (BCD) of Blackhawk Technical College has teamed with several Wisconsin interests and EigerLab of Rockford for a six-week CNC Machine Operator training program for 10 unemployed or underemployed participants in BTC’s district. [...]]]>From wisbusiness.com: BTC Partners with multiple public and private entities to offer additional CNC machine operator training – JANESVILLE, WI – The Business and Community Development Division (BCD) of Blackhawk Technical College has teamed with several Wisconsin interests and EigerLab of Rockford for a six-week CNC Machine Operator training program for 10 unemployed or underemployed participants in BTC’s district.

The program, which began June 23rd at the Career and Technical Education facility at Beloit Memorial High School, represents a collaborative effort between BCD, the Southwest Wisconsin Development Board, Beloit Memorial High School, Community Action, Manpower Government Solutions and other public and private entities.

EigerLab, respected in the region for its Fast Track development programs in collaboration with education, business and government, developed the curriculum for the training program.

“Development of our TechWorks CNC curriculum was guided by our employer advisory council and provides an intense six-week CNC training program and national credential,’’ said Dan Cataldi, executive director of EigerLab.

“In the last three years, we have produced over 200 credentialed CNC machine operators for regional employers and are excited to be partnering with Blackhawk Technical College to do the same for Southern Wisconsin.”

Participants who complete the program will receive industry recognized National Institute of Metalworking Skills (NIMS) credentials in CNC Machining and in Measurement, Material and Safety.

Participants who qualified for this training have undergone extensive testing in Work Keys assessments for reading, math and research skills, plus background checks and drug screening.

BCD would like to thank Tricia Conway at the AT&T Foundation, Greater Beloit Area Chamber of Commerce, area employers Blackhawk Transport, Cotta Transmission, DuPont, Fairbanks Morse and Regal Beloit, plus Wisconsin representatives Deb Kolste, Amy Loudenbeck and Janis Ringhand for their guidance, feedback and support during the development stage of the project.

For additional information on this or any of BCD’s customized training programs and workshops for business and industry, please contact Doug Holmes, BTC Training and Consulting Services Manager at 608-743-4597 or dholmes9@blackhawk.edu, or visit our website at www.blackhawk.edu/bcd.

Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development secretary Reggie Newson announced Department of Workforce Development’s intent to award 30 grants totaling $2.1 million to develop or expand creative programs that prepare high school pupils for the workforce or postsecondary education through training in high-demand fields. The grants cover training for up to 949 high school pupils and could involve employment at up to 153 employers.

The investment is part of Gov. Scott Walker’s Blueprint for Prosperity, a comprehensive agenda to provide tax relief and invest in worker training to move Wisconsin along a path to prosperity. The plan includes $35.4 million to expand the Wisconsin Fast Forward worker-training program into three key areas, including increasing industry-recognized certifications in high-demand fields for high school students; reducing wait lists in high-demand fields at Wisconsin technical colleges; and enhancing employment opportunities for workers with disabilities.

The Department of Workforce Development worked with the state Department of Public Instruction to develop grant criteria and issue a grant program announcement in March for up to $1.5 million in potential awards. Applications had to include at least one business or business organization in collaboration with school districts, educational partners and/or technical colleges.

The Department of Workforce Development’s Office of Skills Development is administering the grant program. The school-to-work programs will kick off during the 2014-15 academic year.

Middle schoolers from seven different schools throughout the state are spending their first weeks of summer learning about science, technology, engineering and math.

Through video conferencing, all seven schools worked together on projects like building water rockets and marshmallow catapults. Friday, they all met face to face for the first time to show off and test their projects in a friendly competition.

“Our passion for this program is for them to understand that science, technology, engineering and math they are exciting fields and that it’s not scary and they can do it,” Program Director Jamie Lane explained.

Their methods seem to have worked. Students tell us the program made STEM subjects fun and more interesting to learn.

“I’ve never really been a big fan of math,” Rosholt sixth grader Cora Kertzman confessed. “But now I’m understanding it more and I like it a lot more.”

Even teachers say they’ve learned from this experience and hope to bring the fun back into the classroom this fall.

This was the first year for the STEM Project Academy. Organizers tell NewsChannel 7 the program was so popular they already have a waiting list for next year.

The STEM project was made possible through a partnership with the Erving Network and Northcentral Technical College.

This upcoming academic year will be the first time the college has projected an increase in student body population since the 2010-11 year. The school expects enrollment will rise 3.5 percent to 2,144 full-time equivalent students in 2014-15 from 2,070 in 2013-14.

Vice President of Student Affairs Mandy Lang attributed this year’s increase in students to the opening of the new Stevens Point campus and its new and expanded course offerings. She said the three-year enrollment decline was due to the economy.

“When the economy gets better, there can be a drop in enrollment for colleges,” Lang said.

After the recession hit in 2008 and layoffs became more common in central Wisconsin, MSTC saw enrollment increase as dislocated workers decided to return to school and acquire new skills. Government funding for dislocated worker training also increased during this time, Lang said. However, as the effects of the recession mitigated, the school’s numbers steadily declined from 2011 to 2014.

Still, these trends in enrollment are not unique to MSTC. According to the Wisconsin Technical College System’s 2011-13 Biennial Report, all Wisconsin technical colleges saw a decrease in full-time equivalent students from the 2009-10 academic school year to the 2011-12 year. Across the technical college system, there was a 3.9 percent drop in enrollment from 2009-10 to 2011-12, totaling a decrease of 3,175 students.

Conor Smyth, director of strategic partnerships and external relations at WTCS, said enrollment rates in the state’s technical colleges were the highest in the system’s history during the recession. The tendency for people to return to college during times of economic hardship is a historic trend, he said. Likewise, when the economy gets better, people tend to go back to work. This phenomena, he said, explains the subsequent decline in enrollment.

“There’s a preference for work and earning money,” Smyth said.

Katie Felch, director of public relations and marketing at Northcentral Technical College in Wausau, also noted the economy’s role in determining enrollment at NTC. Since 2006-07, Felch said NTC’s enrollment increased by 50 percent and in 2012, it was recognized as the 21st fastest-growing community college in the nation by Community College Week. This past May, NTC graduated its largest class ever.

This year, NTC’s enrollment is down 8 percent, but Felch expects it to rebound.

“We saw a big bubble due to dislocated workers,” Felch said.

However, the recession isn’t the only factor influencing enrollment. MSTC’s pool of potential students is much smaller because of its district’s demographics.

According to MSTC’s calculations in its 2014-15 budget, residents in the school’s district are significantly older than the national average. Compared to the national average, there are 16 percent more people per capita who are older than 50. Combine this with the fact that MSTC’s district has only grown 1 percent in population since 2001 and it puts MSTC at a notable disadvantage in enrolling students. For context, Wisconsin’s population has grown 7 percent and the U.S.’s has grown 11 percent since 2001.

Another cause for concern in technical college enrollment is the diminishing number of students in high school. Smyth said the total number of high school graduates is expected to decrease in the next decade and with fewer students enrolled in high school, it is likely to impact enrollment at all colleges.

However, the technical colleges are especially starting to notice.

“There are just fewer students in the pipeline,” Felch said. “So we’re working to attract those students.”

But, as Smyth said, recruitment for students is especially hard for technical colleges because of their constant battle with a “four-year bias.” High school students, in particular, might feel more pressured by their peers, parents and school counselors to enroll in a four-year university even though their academic interest might be better aligned with a technical college.

Still, Smyth admits that breaking this bias is especially hard.

“We’re trying to get people to think along the lines of, ‘What do you want to do?’ rather than, ‘Where do you want to go?’” Smyth said.

In addition, student financial aid is growing harder to attain because of government regulations, further hindering student enrollment. Although technical colleges might be more affordable than a four-year university, Smyth said the number of students eligible for state-funded, need-based financial aid far outpaces the sufficient funds available to them.

At MSTC, Lang said the declining accessibility of financial aid is impacting the number of students it enrolls.

“It has been a factor (in enrollment) over the past few years,” Lang said about financial aid. “Those regulations do continue to tighten.”

Lang said MSTC anticipates a “moderate growth” in student body population during the next few years but would not speak to whether maintaining a steadily increasing enrollment was a high priority for MSTC. Instead, she emphasized student success as one of MSTC’s largest priorities.

The Ag Center offers hands-on learning opportunities for its students.

That includes learning about a robotic milker and feeding calves.

Right now, more than 100 students are involved in Ag Center of Excellence programs.

“I think it’s a great opportunity. Just the learning experience and being able to see the different aspect of the farming industry, or part of the agriculture business. I don’t have much experience myself, so any opportunity is a great opportunity,” said Rylee Gregoriche, a Dairy Science Student at the Ag Center.

Gregoriche says she appreciates learning more about agriculture and being able to participate in the internships that are available with the Ag Center.

Leaders at the Ag Center believe these programs adequately prepare students for their futures.

“They can go on to do a variety of things in the agriculture world. Most of the time, that experience coupled with the degree, [agriculture] people are more than happy to hire them because they’ve had that experience,” Katie Vandergeest, Agriculture Sciences Development Manager.

Over the past four days, coaches at MSTC’s Vex Robotics Camp taught students the basic process of building and developing their own robots. Thursday’s competition was a culmination of the students’ week-long effort and gave the youths an opportunity to showcase what they learned.

Richard Breen, an adjunct professor at MSTC, is one of the camp’s coordinators and coaches. He said he hopes the children take what they learned and apply it to life outside the camp.

“We hope that we inspire them to go on and do more — and a little bit with programming,” Breen said.

However, Breen noted that programing and mechanical techniques are not the only lessons they learn. The students also practice soft skills such as teamwork, problem solving and time management in their race to build the ultimate robot.

“It’s got all those great elements that culminate in the competition to see who designed the best unit that can perform the task to the best ability,” said Gary Kilgas, associate dean of MSTC’s technical industrial division.

The robotics camp introduces students to different facets of math and science they might not encounter in the classroom.

“What I see is that they’re able to use cellphones and computer systems very well, but their mechanical skills are not necessarily there,” Breen said.

Exposing today’s youths to these mechanical and engineering skills is especially important, said Kilgas, because many employers looking for workers are unable to find qualified people because of the skills gap.

“We need those types of talents here. We have got businesses looking for CNC (computer numerical control) operators or people who understand automation,” Kilgas said. “And those are all the types of things you’re learning here (at camp).”

This is this summer’s second week of the Vex Robotics Camp. And according to Kilgas, it’s been a success so far.

“It’s not only the right thing to do with these young people — keeping them interested in technology, engineering and math — but it’s a wonderful way for them to learn new skills and work as team,” Kilgas said.

Filkins, of River Falls, was among 19 high school participants at the camp, but one of only four girls.

“I think more girls should do camps like this,” Filkins, 14, said. “I’ve always been into science and math, so this has been really fun.”

Throughout this week, race camp participants learned about career opportunities in the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in a hands on environment, camp director John Wagner said.

Campers focused on powering race cars using three different petroleum-independent technologies: wind, solar and hydrogen. Participants were divided into teams to modify the cars before a race Thursday afternoon.

Along with making the vehicles run with an alternative fuel source, participants learned to adjust the cars’ alignment, gears and tires to optimize their performance, Wagner said.

Elliot Voelker, 15, who will be a sophomore at Regis High School next school year, said he enjoyed racing cars while getting to know other camp participants.

The camp is part of a nationwide effort to expose students to opportunities in STEM-related professions. The event, funded by grants, was started by CVTC staff. Grants provide scholarships to help qualifying students afford the camp.

Tucker Manderscheid, 14, who will be a freshman at Chippewa Falls High School, enjoys modifying cars. His team powered their vehicles with solar power, which he thought was the easiest of the three alternative power sources to use.

Chicagoria Yang, 15, who will be a sophomore at North High School, was part of a team using wind to power its car. Team members adjusted the car’s gears and experimented with different wheels in an effort to enable it to drive more efficiently.

Wagner said some camp participants showed up early to spend extra time working on their cars.

A three-day workshop led by Marcin Jakubowski, founder of Open Source Ecology, or OSE, showcased how extreme manufacturing techniques are used to build a complete, automated compressed earth brick, or CEB, press in one day.

The machine was completely built from scratch, with parts cut via computer numerical control. These pieces then were welded, and then assembled together with the automated controller and hydraulic system.

“It was exciting to get hands-on training in the process of building this sophisticated machine out of nothing more than basic resources,” said MSTC Sustainable Heating & Cooling Technician Instructor Ben Nusz.

A CEB press compresses clay earth into bricks that can be used for building. These bricks are cheaper because they can be made with dirt on site and are consequently more environmentally friendly. They are also highly energy efficient, insulating well against both heat and sound.

The workshop was designed for people interested in hands-on training, especially those individuals who want to use a CEB press in future endeavors. Participants were immersed in concept and production, including crash courses on key elements of design, fabrication, computer-aided design, microcontrollers, hydraulics, open documentation and open enterprise models. A total of 30 people attended the workshop.

Event planners partnered with MSTC and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association in co-organizing this event.

Nusz emphasized that this workshop is just the tip of the iceberg for people interested in careers related to renewable energy and conservation.

“This workshop is just one of many great opportunities in sustainable energy technology available here at MSTC,” said Nusz. “MSTC is home to numerous career programs and certificates in the field of renewable energy, many that are available nowhere else in the Wisconsin Technical College System.”

MSTC currently offers career programs in Process & Biorefinery Technology, Renewable Energy Specialist, Solar Electric Technician, and Sustainable Heating and Cooling Technician. Individuals who are interested in learning more about these and the more than 100 total programs and certificates available at MSTC are encouraged to visit www.mstc.edu or call 888-575-MSTC.